Comes Before Thunder
by weathergirl17248
Summary: A ton of people know the story of Shane, Tori and Dustin, but how many people know about Maddy? Meet Madison Grace Oliver, better known as Maddy, who's friends with our famous trio. When she starts at the Wind Ninja Academy, and is late on that fateful day, can she join the team and help defeat Lothor? My first fan-fic, I hope people like it! Parings:Tori/Blake, OC/?
1. Chapter 1: Prelude to a Storm

Author's Note-Yay! My very first fan-fic, in the Maddy series. Please, please, please comment, it would mean a LOT to me! :)

DISCLAIMER-I'm not Haim Saban. If you thought so, you are mistaken. PRNS belongs to Saban Entertainment and was made by Disney.

**Character Bio-**

**Full Name**-Madison Grace Oliver

**Nickname**-Maddy

**Age**-15

**Hair**-Dark Brown, it's usually worn in a ponytail, bun, or braid, sometimes down

**Eyes**- Blue Green, she wears a pair of purple and blue glasses.

**Height**- 4'9

**Weight**-100 lbs.

**Features**-Madison has a sprinkling of freckles across her nose, and has a light tan. She also has braces.

**Personality**-Madison is a laid back, smart, and kind girl who would do anything for her friends. She's a definite tomboy. She has a great sense of humor, but also a fiery temper, if she's provoked. When she meets new people, she's rather shy, but warms up quickly after getting to know them better.

**Hobbies**-Madison's main hobbies are gymnastics, motocross, surfing, and roller-blading. She enjoys art, and she'll try any activity at least once. Maddy's usually pretty busy, with all her hobbies and training for future duties.

(I could tell you what she's training for, but you'll all figure it out eventually) She did competitive dance when she was a kid, until she had to move to Blue Bay Harbor.

**Faults-**Maddy struggles with making friends. She also blames herself for the death of her mother. (More on this later) Maddy has a fiery temper, if someone provokes her too much.

Misc.-Madison prefers being called Maddy. Madison's mom died in a car accident when she was 13. She's staying at her Grandma's in Blue Bay Harbor until her dad gets back from his archeological dig. Madison attends the Wind Ninja Academy. Maddy is an only child. She is the youngest ranger of the group, at 15 years old. She is already friends with the 3 Wind Ninjas, because in the summers she would spend a month at her Grandma's. She ended up meeting Tori, who lived in the house behind her and taught her how to surf. Maddy is always wearing silver heart necklace. It has a silver thin chain, and the heart is sparkly and has all different colors when the sun hits it just right.

Two people are standing on the wide front porch of a two-story white house, surrounded by boxes. Looking closer, it's a man with short, spiked black hair, and a young teenage girl with light tan skin, brownish-black curly hair and striking blue eyes. A black jeep with a strange symbol on the side sat parked by the curb. One might think they were moving in, but not much is as it seems in this world.

"Well, sweetheart, that's the last box." the man said. I have to go now, or I'll miss my flight." 15-year old, Madison Oliver, better known as Maddy, threw herself at the mystery man, who enveloped her with a hug.

"Don't worry, sweetheart, I'll be back before you know it! Be good for Nani." The man walked over to a parked black jeep, and got in.

"I love you, Dad. Be careful!" Maddy called, threads of anxiety in her tone. The mystery man, her father waved in reply, and put the Jeep into motion.

A tall, medium height woman with short white hair emerged from the yellow two-story home, and put one arm around the girl, and waved good-bye with the other.

Maddy waved goodbye to her dad, as hard as her arm would let her. Her brown curls bobbed and danced in her ponytail as she waved. The Jeep turned the corner, and disappeared from sight. Maddy looked at the jumble of boxes around her and sighed. A frown tugged at her normally smiling mouth. Her Grandma, known to one and all as Nani, hugged Maddy.

"C'mon, Mads, let's get these boxes inside, and unpacked. Isn't Tori picking you up at 12:30?" Maddy perked up.

"Oh yeah, we're going surfing, and then she's giving me a ride to class!" She said excitedly. Nani knew all about the Wind Ninja Academy, due to the fact that she was an alumna of the Academy, being an Air ninja.

Maddy was quite relived when she had found out she wouldn't have to hide where she was. That made life a lot easier.

"I gotta get all these inside and find my swimsuit!" Now, with renewed gusto, Maddy picked up a box, and headed inside.

Nani held back as Maddy went inside and smiled. Maddy was so much like her mother it was almost crazy. She was glad Maddy already had some friends, and friends who went to the Ninja Academy at that. Then, Nani reached down, picked up a box, and went in after her granddaughter.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy set the last box down, and looked around her room. There was a large window with white curtains hanging at them and the window looked out into her backyard, and into Tori's backyard, because the two houses were back to back. The walls were painted purple, and her white wooden bunk bed had a nice contrast to the walls. The bookshelf portion on the underside was empty, but wouldn't be for long. Her bed was already made, courtesy of Nani, and her purple, white, turquoise, and green bedspread was laid across the bed. Maddy loved all the contrast in the bedspread, and it had all her favorite colors. All her boxes of belongings were stacked neatly under the bunk bed. The bigger stuff, like her art easel, and butterfly chair, were in the corner of the closet. Her biggest stuff, her surfboard and her Motocross bike, were outside, the bike was in the back shed, waiting until she could take it in for a tune up at Storm Chargers. Her surfboard sat on the back porch, next to her flip-flops. Maddy hadn't realized she had so much stuff, until she moved. She sighed. Objective one: find her swimsuit. She could deal with the rest later.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

After searching for about an hour and a half, Maddy finally found her swimsuit. "VICTORY!" she squealed.

"I'm guessing you found your swimsuit?" Nani asked, a smile on her face as she entered the chaos, also known as Maddy's new room, and leaned against the wall.

"Yeah, and my towel, and my beach bag, and my wallet!" Maddy said, an excited grin on her face, as she began to put her beach stuff into the bag.

"I came up here to let you know that it's 12:05, and that lunch is ready." Nani said, knowing that her granddaughter sometimes had a habit to lose track of time.

"I'll be down in a sec, I just gotta get my stuff all together, and then I'll be right down." Maddy said, gesturing to the jumble of beach essentials around her on the floor.

"That's fine, but hurry, I don't want your lunch to cool off." Nani replied with a smile, leaving the room.

Maddy began to carefully place her beach stuff insider her small purple Nike duffel bag with the electric blue swoosh on it. She placed her towel, extra clothes, and extra shoes in the largest compartment, and her wallet, phone, her hairbrush, hairbands, headband, and sunscreen in the outer pocket. Once everything had been put in it's place, Maddy headed downstairs to lunch.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

After lunch, Maddy scurried back up the stairs to put on her swimsuit. She glanced at the clock. 12:23. She was cutting it close, but she had enough time to get her stuff ready, and be out waiting on the porch. She just had to hope Tori wouldn't come early.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

After changing, Maddy surveyed herself in the mirror. She was wearing black swim shorts with white stitching, and a purple sparkly tankini that showed a small bit of her lightly tanned skin between the top of her shorts, and the bottom of her top. Her necklace was in its usual place around her neck, and she gently took it off and put it on her dresser. Maddy glanced at the clock. 12:27. She grabbed her bag and flew out of her room, pounded down the stairs, ran past Nani, who was washing lunch dishes, out the back door, which banged against the side of the house after being shoved open, and pounded down the steps leading to the backyard.

"Maddy, slow down!" Nani's voice wafted out through the back door, which had been left ajar in Maddy's haste to get outside. Maddy found her purple and electric blue surfboard, and breathed a sigh of relief. Now that she was ready, she went back up the stairs of the back porch, put on her purple flip-flops, and into the house, and she gently pulled the door closed behind her.

"Now, that's better, hold on a second, now." Nani said, relieved that Maddy had slowed down. "I just finished filling up your water bottle." Nani tossed Maddy her favorite purple Camelbak, and Maddy slid it into the side pocket of her bag. Suddenly, they both heard a honk.

"Thanks, Nani, I gotta go, I'll see you later!" Maddy said, as she tore down the hallway to the front door.

"Bye sweetheart, be careful, I'll see you when you get ba-" Nani called, and she got cut off as the door slammed. Maddy flew across the lawn to her friend's blue van. Maddy opened the trunk, and put her surfboard in, and ran around to the passenger side of the van. She slid in, and was met by her friend.

"Maddy, it's great to see you!" Tori cried in delight.

"Tori, its great to see you too! It's seemed like forever since last summer!" Maddy said, a huge grin on her face.

Tori started her van, and they drove to the beach as they happily chattered away.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

The girls had been surfing for several hours and had finally called it a day, as they headed over to Tori's van. Maddy began toweling herself off as Tori checked the time.

"Time to head out, Maddy, we need to pick up Shane and Dustin, and still have time to change into normal clothes, because I don't think Sensei would be too happy if we showed up in our swimsuits." Tori said, starting to laugh at the thought of Sensei's reaction to them showing up in swimsuits.

Maddy had never met Sensei, so she was slightly confused, but knew it was probably like showing up to school in a swimsuit. She began to giggle at the thought of that. Both girls climbed in the car, and left to go change.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Shane was, as usual, hanging out at the skate park with his "skater friends". He flies up the ramp, and does a flip on his board. The other skaters there cheer. Shane's friend comes up. Shane catches a glance of his friend's wrist.

"Oh man, is that the time? Oh man, I'm gonna be late for class!" Shane says frantically.

"Class?" Shane's friend asks, quirking an eyebrow. "Never mind, man, catch ya later bro!" Shane took off, his skateboard tucked protectively under his arm.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Meanwhile, Dustin's is out tearing up the track. He's flying over the bumps and curves of the track. Dustin flies up a hill, and gets some serious air and he hooks his feet under the handlebars, and bends his body backwards, but gets into a normal sitting position just before he makes contact with the earth again. His yellow and black motocross bike slows a bit as he hits the uphill just before the finish line. Dustin's bike makes it up, and flies through the finish line. Kelly clicked a stopwatch.

"Not bad, lap times are a few seconds off." Kelly said, glancing at the stopwatch. The yellow clad teen made his way over to Kelly, yanking off his helmet.

"I know, my bike's bogging on the uphill! Hey, what time is it?" Dustin asked.

"Five after, why?" Kelly wondered what the sudden change of topics was all about.

"Oh, man I am SO busted!" Dustin said, and he took off running.

"Dustin, where are you going!?"Kelly asked, startled at his sudden departure.

"I gotta go, call you later, ok?" Dustin called over his shoulder, already halfway across the grounds of the motocross track. Kelly rolled her eyes. Typical Dustin.

x**xxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Tori and Maddy were waiting impatiently at the pre-determined meeting area next to the park.

"Where are they?" Tori wondered out loud, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel in annoyance.

"I don't know, but how long will it take us to get there? Will I be late? Will I get kicked out if I'm late on my first day? Will I be good enough? Will Sensei-?"Maddy's anxious rush of questions was cut off by Tori.  
"Madison Grace Oliver, calm yourself! It's all gonna work out fine, and you'll do absolutely amazing!" Tori said, trying to get her friend to calm down.

Y'know, if the boys show up and we actually get there, that is." Tori added, with a sheepish smile.

"Yeah, but-""BOO!" A voice interrupted her.

"Eeep!" Maddy squealed in mock terror.

"Did I scare ya?" Shane asked, with a mischievous grin.

"Dream on." Tori laughed, as did Maddy.

"Hey Maddy, welcome back, are you excited for your first day?" Shane asked as he climbed in, and Maddy slid to the middle seat in the front.

Maddy laughed, all traces of nervousness gone from her voice.

"You know it!" she said, with an air of confidence to her tone.

Tori rolled her eyes as Maddy and Shane high fived. She saw something out of the corner of her eye and she turned. There was a guy clad in yellow motocross gear running toward the van.

"Aaannnnddd, here comes Dustin, last as usual." Tori said, starting the van.

Dustin flew to the van and jumped into the back seat.

"Sup dude!" Shane slapped high fives with Dustin.

The van pulled away from the curb as the teens happily chatted.

"Hello to you too, Dustin." Maddy teased, as she turned in her seat to look at Dustin.

"Sup Maddy, welcome back to Blue Bay!" Dustin said cheerfully.

"Thanks, Dustin." Maddy replied with a grin and the two teens high fived.

"Ok guys, I can't understand how you manage to be every single time. I couldn't do that if I planned it!" Tori said, as she glanced at the clock.

"Maybe that's because you're the reliable one." Shane pointed out.

"What's that supposed to mean, the reliable one?" Tori asked.

"Well, in every group, there are different types of people." Shane pointed out.

"That's true." Maddy agreed.

"Totally true. Think about, like, the Power Rangers!" Dustin said, excited he had been able to come up with a good, solid comparison.

"Exactly!" Maddy said, in total agreement with Dustin.

"The Power Rangers? You've got to be joking." Tori said as she rolled her eyes.

"No, like, there's always like, the mellow, reflective dude." Dustin said, contemplating his words.

"And then, there's the energetic, optimistic one, which of course, would be Maddy." Dustin continued.

"Got that right!" Maddy said, grinning, and struck a pose.

"Then there's the risk taker, the adrenaline guy. Which, of course, would be me." Shane said, puffing out his chest in pride. Everyone except Shane rolled their eyes at his statement.

"Yeah right. Tori, you're just the logical one!"

"You guys need to lay off the comic books. Power Rangers? Whatever!" Tori said, finding his logic about the Power Rangers completely insane. The four teens continued to chat as they drove through the hills outside of Blue Bay Harbor.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

The van pulled to a stop in the middle of the woods.

"Umm, are we here? Because I don't see a Ninja Academy anywhere around here." Maddy said nervously.

Tori laughed. "Just follow me, and we'll be there soon. Trust me." Tori said.

"This place always creeps me out." Shane said, looking around apprehensively.

"I hear that, bro." Dustin agreed.

"You guys are SO lame." Tori said, rolling her eyes at the boy's words.

The teens set off into the woods. After trekking through the underbrush, they came to a large tree.

"Up and over, Maddy." Tori said, making sure her friend got over. Maddy scrambled up and over the large tree.

"Cool." Maddy breathed from the other side, staring in awe at the beautiful waterfall. Tori and Shane climbed over as well.

"Dustin, would you come on?" Tori asked impatiently.

"I'm right here!" Dustin replied, jumping down from the tree.

"Sure is quiet out here." Shane said, looking around.

"Yeah, a little too quiet." Dustin agreed.

"I think you guys are just being paranoid." Maddy said, still mesmerized by the beautiful waterfall.

"It's beautiful out here. Think of all the pictures I could dra-"Maddy was cut of by Shane, who exclaimed:

"Did ya see that?!"He asked, nervously.

Suddenly, a group of people in black Ninja garb appeared. Maddy gave an involuntary squeak of surprise, and she jumped behind Shane, Tori and Dustin as they fell into defensive stances. With a nod to each other, Tori, Shane and Dustin ripped their clothes to reveal their own Ninja gear. As the fight began, Maddy was left standing open mouthed.

"How is that even possible?!" She asked, not understanding how they their suits had magically appeared. Maddy noticed that the outfits her friends were wearing matched the outfits their attackers were wearing, so it must be a test of some sort. She also noticed no one was coming after her, further proving that it MUST be a test. Maddy decided it would be best to just stand back, and let it play out, but to observe.

She was amazed at how Tori and the other ninjas walked on water, but she shivered as Tori fell into the pool of water. She gasped when Dustin tried to teleport in the Earth, but got stuck instead. She was struck speechless when Shane walked in the air, but winced as he fell gracelessly to the ground. The victorious ninjas gathered Shane, Tori and Dustin together, and Maddy emerged from where she had been standing in the bushes.

"Let go of me man." Dustin complained. Maddy breathed a sigh of sympathy for her friends. Tori's hair was a mess, and she was soaking wet and shivering. Shane's uniform had been ripped to shreds in several places. Dustin was covered in dirt, dust, and leaves, and his hair was out of control. Suddenly, a hawk's call echoed in the distance.

"Aw man." Dustin muttered.

"What? Do you, like hate hawks or something?" Maddy asked, feeling like she was missing something. Before Dustin had a chance to answer, the hawk Maddy had heard landed before them, and she stared in awe as it transformed into a man in a white, tan, brown and blue outfit. Maddy struggled to contain her surprise.

How is that even possible!? Just, how?! Maddy wondered in shock. Her brain was totally spinning. She mentally shook herself, and snapped back to attention as the bird-man-sensei-guy began to speak.

"That's enough for today." he said calmly. All the attacking ninjas disappeared. "Tori. Shane. Dustin." Sensei continued sternly. "I am very disappointed. I will expect a visit from you so we can discuss your lack of commitment to your ninja training." Sensei finished his lecture, and disappeared into the waterfall that had captivated Maddy's attention. Tori, Shane, Dustin, and Maddy were left standing there

"I hate to sound stupid, but, WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED?!" Maddy half asked, half yelled.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it." Tori said, patting her friend on the shoulder.

"Well, that wasn't so bad." Dustin said cheerfully, referring to what Sensei had said. Tori and Shane glared at the teen in the yellow accented Ninja suit, and then turned to enter the Wind Academy. As Tori and Shane walked across the pond and went through the waterfall, Maddy just stood on the bank, unsure of what to do. Dustin noticed the soon to be ninja in training, he came to her rescue.

"Just walk across it, Maddy. You won't fall in, I promise." Dustin said, smiling kindly at his friend.

"Ok, but if I fall in or get wet I'm coming after you…Whoa, this is so cool!" Maddy squealed as she walked across the water. Dustin simply laughed and followed her. The two teens disappeared into the waterfall. They emerged on the other side.

"You know what, guys?" Dustin said, trying to get Tori and Shane to not be mad anymore.

"You can blame it all on me!" Dustin added, but his planned backfired when Tori retaliated with:

"Don't worry, we will." she snapped, rather frustrated with her Earth Ninja friend.

Sensei approached them.

"You have been students at the Wind Ninja Academy for nearly a year, and yet you fail to see the importance of punctuality. I suggest that you find a way to fix that tomorrow, or I will have no choice but to expel you." Sensei said calmly.

"Wait, you can't!" Shane said, shocked at the possible consequence, with Tori and Dustin looking equally horrified.

"You all have great potential. It would be a shame to waste it. Now go. You must have other studies. " Sensei dismissed the 3 ninjas, who bowed, and turned to Maddy.

Miss Oliver, welcome to the Wind Ninja Academy. I assume your Grandmother has explained to you as to what you will be doing here?" Sensei asked.

When Maddy nodded, Sensei smiled.

"Good. Please come with me, so we can better ascertain what element you will be studying." Sensei turned and began to walk towards the training grounds, with Maddy following him, when they were stopped by Cam.

"I don't know why you put up with them." Cam said, obviously annoyed with Tori, Shane, and Dustin's lack of commitment.

"Well than, Cameron, that's why I am the Sensei, and you're the sensei's son. I would also like you to meet Madison Oliver. She has just enrolled. Madison, this is my son Cameron." Sensei said.

"Hi." Maddy said shyly.

"Hey" Cam said, smiling in greeting. Sensei suddenly looked up, and walked a few paces away. Cam and Maddy both noticed Sensei's actions.

"What's wrong? Dad?" Cam asked.

"Sensei, is something wrong?" Maddy asked, a mix of curiosity and nervousness.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

After Ninja School had ended, Maddy was dropped off at Nani's by Tori. Maddy entered the house, and after putting her surfboard in the back yard, she went straight to the kitchen, where Nani was making dinner. Nani turned from the stove when Maddy entered the house.

"Hi sweetheart, how was your first day?" Nani asked, giving her granddaughter a hug.

"It went good, I guess. I got tested, and 3 different teachers, one for each element, came, and they said that I showed little aptitude in any of the divisions. They want to do further testing tomorrow. But, I did get a training uniform." Maddy said, and went over to her bag to grab it.

"It's the same as the other uniforms, just with white edging, because I don't know which element I am yet." Maddy explained.

"Makes sense." Nani said, as she stirred something on the stove.

"I do wonder which element I'll be, though. It would be fun to be water, but air and earth are awesome too. I can't wait until tomorrow." Maddy smiled.

Nani smiled.

I'm glad you're excited, sweetie. Now let's eat, and you can tell me about the other parts of your day." Nani said.

They sat down to dinner, and Maddy chattered on about her day. As Maddy talked, Nani wondered about how Maddy's element. Could she be? No, her mother was the last ninja with that element. Nani shook of the idea, and she returned her attention to Maddy, who was animatedly describing something that had happened at the beach.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

The next day, Maddy, Tori, and Shane all walked into Storm Chargers, to wait for Dustin's shift to end. Maddy was leading the way, pushing her purple Motocross bike in front of her. Tori and Shane made a beeline for the couches, while Maddy went back to put her bike in the workshop area. On the way to the back of the store she waved to Kelly. Kelly waved back, because she was busy with a customer.

She found her friend working on a bike, amongst several ticking clocks.

"Dustin? What's with all the random clocks?" Maddy asked curiously.

Dustin slid out from the underside of the bike.

"Well, after the incident with Sensei yesterday, I rigged all these clocks to go off at 3:30." Dustin explained.

"Nice." Maddy replied, with a smile.

Letting Dustin go back to work, Maddy began to look around the store. She picked up a pair of electric purple motocross gloves and tried them on.

"Nice gloves." Maddy murmured to herself. They would go great with her riding outfit. She had completely trashed her old gloves, and they were on the verge of falling apart. Maddy checked her pockets. Crap, she thought. She had left her wallet at home. She held on to the gloves as a reminder to tell Kelly to hold them for her. She would need to buy the gloves tomorrow before she went riding with Dustin. Suddenly she heard a loud ringing coming from the back, and Maddy jumped, eyes wide, startled from the sudden noise.

"Dustin!" Tori called shutting off he TV and jumping up from the couch.

"I guess that's our cue. Bye Kelly, see you later or tomorrow!" Maddy said called and followed Tori and Shane as they headed out the door.

"Yo, heads up!" Dustin said, as he slid around a customer, making a mad dash for the door.

"You're not leaving me here to clean up shop!" Kelly said incredulously.

"Have I ever told you what a cool boss you are? Bye Kelly!" Dustin called over his shoulder as he dashed out the door. Kelly rolled her eyes and started cleaning up, all the while wondering why her young employee was always disappearing.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

"Are we on time?" Dustin asked nervously as they drove down the highway.

"No, early." Tori said in disbelief.

"You all sound so shocked. I'm guessing that this "early" concept is new?" Maddy asked, smirking. Tori whacked her lightly on the arm.

"Hey, it looks like they need help!" Tori said suddenly, as she spotted an elderly couple next to their broken down car.

"No way Tori. We can't." Shane said, as Tori pulled her van over to the side of the road.

"We can't just leave them here, something could happen to them." Maddy pointed out.

"We'll fix it fast, man." Dustin assured him as he slid out of the car.

As his friends got out of the car, Shane called after them "Well, I know that if we're late, something will definitely happen to us. And it won't involve fun and fabulous prizes!"

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Sensei was meditating in the early afternoon sun. A beautiful flowering tree swayed in the gentle breeze. The sky suddenly darkened, and the breeze halted, the clam before the storm. Sensei sensed something, and stood up in alarm.

"Lothor…" Sensei uttered the single phrase, as several villains appeared. The first monster was a knight like figure, with poles coming out of his shoulders. Swords. There was a childlike green monster, and he had a large, bulky, square backpack strapped to his shoulders. The green monster held a white staff that matched his backpack. The man in the middle was the dreaded Lothor. He wore a mask, and had hair that was as black as a starless night. Horns stuck out of the mask, and a kind of scorpion stamp was in the middle of the mask where his forehead was. Next to Lothor, stood a teen with eye-searingly pink hair. Part of her hair was in two large braids that hung on either side of her face, and a tuft poked over the horned headpiece she wore. Her clothing was skintight. The final monster person was another teenage girl, with dark brown hair that looked as if she had stuck her finger in an electrical outlet, and she had to antennas that stuck out of her hair in the front. She also had two curls that hung down on either side of her face, and a headpiece with two large blue jewels, that resembled bug eyes. Sensei and the monster people before him stared at one another, until Sensei spoke.

"The dark energy is strong in you." He said, keeping his voice calm and steady as he spoke to Lothor.

"It's had time to grow." Lothor replied, calm as well.

"It has been a while." Sensei replied.

"Army's take time. And now is the time for revenge! Zurgane, proceed." Lothor's voice rose in anger as he spoke of his revenge.

"As you wish, sir." Zurgane replied.

"It doesn't have to be this way. " Sensei pleaded with the villain. Lothor smiled coldly.

"Why would now be any different?" the villain asked.

"HA!" Lothor attempted to blast Sensei with an energy beam, but missed. Students in the courtyard saw the explosion, and froze; pointing at the area the blast had come from.

The henchmen (and women) from before materialized in the courtyard. The students turned their attention away from the blast

"KELZACKS!" Kapri ordered. The foot soldiers appeared, and began their attack.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

The elderly couple was thanked Tori, Dustin, Maddy and Shane profusely after they had helped them. After the elderly couple had left, the four teens hurried over to Tori's van, and as they went, Dustin tried to assure them everything would work out fine.

"Dude, what if his alarm clock didn't go off, and he didn't even miss us?" Dustin pointed out. Shane stopped, and turned to face his friend.

"He's a Ninja Master, Dustin. They don't oversleep!" Shane said, putting emphasis on they don't.

"Really?" Dustin said, stopping by the door to contemplate it.

"Really." Maddy said, as she weaved around Dustin and climbed in the van.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Back at the Academy, Sensei and Lothor were locked in combat. Lothor fired energy blasts whenever he could.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

At the training grounds, Lothor's army was easily destroying the academy, and rendering the students powerless.

"Trash them all!" Kapri howled, making sure the army's orders were clear. As soon as most of the ninjas were down, Zurgane ordered sternly:  
"Now, Chuboo!"

"Goodbye, Wind Ninja Academy!" The green childlike Alien called, and Chuboo opened his backpack, and white bubbles appeared and sucked up the students. The students cried out for help, but they were all sucked into the backpack of Chuboo.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

The 4 teens raced through the woods, anxious to get to the academy on time. They leapt over the tree, and hurried across the waterfall, and into the woods, edging the Academy grounds. They froze, as they saw their school being sucked into the sky. Shane was the first to react.

"What's going on, something's attacking the school!" Shane cried.

"Who would do something like this?" Maddy asked, not that she expected an answer.

"Look out!" Tori said, shocked, as the school was sucked into the sky, and debris flew at them. They dropped to the ground covering their heads until the violent wind and debris storm stopped. They stared at the area that used to be their school.

"It's gone!" Shane exclaimed.

"Ok, I, I'm thinking, earthquake." Dustin stuttered out, shocked from what they had just witnessed.

"When was the last time you heard about an earthquake sucking buildings and people into the sky?!" Shane asked his friend incredulously.

Tori, Shane, Maddy, and Dustin ran down the hill to the place where their school had once stood. They entered the training grounds, and stood still, gaping at the destruction.

"Who would do something like this?" Tori asked softly, echoing Maddy's earlier question.

"Better question, how could they do something like this?!" Maddy said, gaping in shock at the rubble surrounding them. The four teens started walking again.

"Are we the only students left?" Shane asked, shocked at all that they had witnessed.

The four kept walking, and suddenly, Shane saw something moving in the debris.

"Who's that?" He asked, and they all froze, hoping it wasn't one of the freaky monsters. Instead of a monster, Cam Wantanabe appeared.

"It's Cam! Help me get him out!" Shane ordered. The four of them were able to free Cam from the rubble.

"It's ok, we got you." Tori said.

"Are you ok?" Maddy asked anxiously.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Cam said.

Suddenly, all 5 teens were knocked to the ground by a laser blast that seemed to come from thin air.

"Well, we won't be fine for long if we stay out here!" Maddy yelled over the explosion.

"C'mon guys, this way!" Cam yelled and he took off running.

Cam ran to a spot in the grass, and yanked on something, and it opened up, and was a trap door. He slid inside, and without hesitation, Maddy climbed in too. Tori, Shane, and Dustin shared a glance, and they figured it was better than being shot at, and followed the other two teens. Tori slammed the trap door shut behind her. The teens could barely see each other as they stood in the dim light.

"Cam, what is this place?" Shane asked.

"Just follow me!" Cam ordered, as they all walked down the stairs. Cam touched the handprint scanner on the wall, and it turned rainbow colors as it scanned his hand. The cave began to change, and the cave became a room, with a large computer at one end, a table in the middle surrounded by several cushions of varied colors, and a library of scrolls to the left of the doors. It was all fancy and high tech.

"Holy cow…." Maddy breathed.

"No way…." Shane was in just as much shock as Maddy.

"It's amazing!" Tori exclaimed excitedly, the only teen, other than Cam, who could form a coherent sentence.

"Dude…" Dustin was in even more shock than Shane and Maddy.

"Don't ask any questions, I can't answer them." Cam said curtly.

"Dude, is this like, some big secret?" Shane asked.

"Yes Shane, it is "some big secret"." Cam said, getting rather annoyed. Maddy mentally face palmed at Shane's question. She loved Shane and Dustin as her friends, but sometimes they could be a little, well, dense.

"And there are times when secrets must be revealed, Cam." someone said. A small motor habitat rolled into view, and there was a guinea pig on it, dressed in clothes like Sensei's. Maddy did a double take. Did that guinea pig just TALK?! She asked herself.

"Whoa, that big rat sounds just like Sensei!" Shane said incredulously.

"Dude, I'm pretty sure that's not a rat. I think he looks more like a guinea pig." Maddy pointed out.

"Dude, I know! He doesn't just sound like him, he's dressed like him too…" Dustin trailed off.

"Maddy is correct. My father is not a rat. He's a guinea pig."

Tori, Shane, Maddy, and Dustin exchanged shocked glances.

"Uhhh, not to be rude Cam, but did you just say that the guinea pig is Sensei?!" Maddy asked, thinking that she must have misunderstood Cam.

"Did he just explain why, and I, phew, missed it?" Dustin asked. The Earth Ninja was totally lost.

"He's stuck." Cam said calmly and slowly, so everyone could comprehend what he just said.

"Stuck?" Shane said. Cam sighed, annoyed.

"Yes Shane. Stuck. Observe." Sensei did ninja flips over to the computer, and in the process, knocked a startled Dustin on his butt. Maddy giggled softly, and pulled her friend up off the floor. "This is Lothor. He was once a great ninja, but was banished when his hunger for power turned him to the dark side. When our energy shields collided, I was transformed into what you see before you. Lothor has returned, and brought army, and will do anything to take our planet as their own. They must be stopped." Sensei said.

"Who would be dumb enough to stop them?" Dustin asked incredulously.

Maddy face palmed. She had realized where this was going as soon as Sensei said "They must be stopped".

"An excellent question, Dustin. The morphers, Cam." Sensei said, ignoring Maddy's face palm.

"Father, you're not serious." Cam said. It was his turn to be shocked.

"Cam, we have no choice." Sensei said seriously to his son.

"But these guys? I mean, them? They're, well, they're…" Cam trailed off.

"We're what?" Tori asked, not liking where this sentence was going.

"I don't like how this is sounding. Do you?" Shane asked Maddy and Dustin.

"No, no I don't." Maddy said as she glared at Cam, obviously annoyed at how he was referring to them.

"I don't know dude, I'm kinda lost." Dustin said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Now, Cam." Sensei said sternly, and Cam knew he was fighting a losing battle. The teen sighed, and walked over to the wall and grabbed a box. The box was wooden, and had designs on it. Cam carried it gently, as if the contents were precious. He opened the box, and inside, laid 4 watch-looking things. Maddy recognized the symbols for water, earth and air, but the symbol on the last device was unrecognizable. Maddy had never seen it before.

Cam-These are your Power Ranger Wind Morphers.

"Yeah right." Tori said in disbelief.

"YES! See, I knew it dude! I was right!" Dustin shouted with glee. He and Maddy slapped high fives.  
"No way." Tori started to smile.

"Power Rangers are real!" Dustin exclaimed as he slid his morpher onto his wrist.

"No way!" She exclaimed, as she grabbed her morpher. It had the symbol for water on it, just like Dustin's had the Earth symbol and Shane had the air symbol.

"Man, this is awesome!" Shane said, as he slid his own morpher onto his wrist.

Maddy gently picked up the remaining morpher. The symbol on it was a side view of what looked to be a panther, maybe?

"Umm, Sensei? What does this symbol represent?" Maddy asked shyly.

"That is the symbol of the Lightning Ranger. The power of Lightning is a rare power, and few people can use it. The last one to possess the power of Lightning was your mother." Sensei explained. Maddy felt a slight prick of tears in her eyes at the mention of her deceased mom. Maddy slid the morpher of her wrist, and it felt like it had been made for her. She gasped, the white areas on her uniform glowed purple, and became a purple color. Maddy smiled. She was gonna be a purple power ranger, twice!

"Wow…" Tori breathed.

"Dude…" Dustin said in awe.

"That's sick." Shane said, grinning.

"Dustin, Child of the Earth, true to your heart, you will embody the powers of the Yellow Wind Ranger. Maddy, energetic and unpredictable as lightning, you will control the powers of the Purple Wind Ranger. Tori, Fluid and graceful like the water, you will become the Blue Wind Ranger. Shane, reaching for the stars, you will use the powers of the Red Wind Rangers. You will now all be known as the Wind Power Rangers, Defenders of Earth!" Sensei proclaimed.

"So what does this thing do?" Shane asked.

"Yeah, where's the switch?" Tori began to look all over hers for the "switch".

"Does it have any cool games?" Dustin asked.

Maddy and Cam both face-palmed at Dustin's comment.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the defenders of Earth!" Cam muttered sarcastically.

Suddenly, the computer began to beep loudly.

"You must go; Lothor's army is attacking! You can call on your powers by saying "Ninja Storm, Ranger form." Sensei explained.

"Let's go." Maddy said, and she raced out of Ninja Ops.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

"Keep your eyes open!" the monster shouted to the Kelzaks.

"Hey, looking for us?" Shane called to the monster as the arrived on the cliff above them.

"It's them!" the monster shouted. Shane raised his arm.

"Ninja Storm, wait, what was it again?" Shane asked.

"Ninja Storm, Ranger form."" Dustin and Maddy said at the same time, and then they smiled at each other.

"Nah, I don't think so." Shane argued.

"Well, it was something form." Tori pointed out.

"It's Ranger Form!" Cam's voice echoed out of the speakers on the morphers.

"Yeah, that's right, listen to us!" Maddy said with a laugh.

"Watch and learn, guys!' Dustin called to his friends as he and Maddy prepared to morph. They looked at each other and nodded.

"Ninja Storm! Ranger form, HA!" They shouted together.

Maddy was the first to morph. Lightning struck the ground all around her, and thunder boomed in the distance.

"Power of Lightning!" Maddy shrieked.

"Power of Earth!" Dustin shouted.

Dustin and Maddy look down at themselves, and at each other. Maddy was clad in a purple suit, with silver sleeves and silver leggings, purple boots, and a purple helmet. The symbol on her uniform was the same panther that was on her morpher. Her helmet was the same as Dustin's, but in purple.

Dustin was clad in a yellow bodysuit, with white gloves and a yellow helmet with gold accents.

"Yeah baby, yeah! Haha, guess nobody's laughing at the comic book geeks now, are they?" Dustin laughed, and he and Maddy high-fived.

Shane and Tori looked at each other.

"Well, I don't wan to be left out of this fun!" Tori exclaimed, and Shane nodded in agreement.

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form, HA!" Tori and Shane called together.

"Power of Air!" Shane called.

"Power of Water!" Tori cried.

"HI-YAH!" the four teens shouted as they ran at the Kelzaks.

"Attack!" the monster ordered the foot soldiers.

The Kelzaks began their attack, and the ninjas split up to take on the Kelzaks.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy had stopped using her sword, and had gone to more of a hand-to-hand fighting style. I am so glad Dad made me take karate! Maddy thought as she worked away on the Kelzaks. Maddy heard something behind her and she whirled around and delivered a swift kick to the head for one of the Kelzaks when he snuck up behind her. "Ninja Sword!" Maddy called out, and she used her sword to finish them off. As they exploded, Maddy grinned.

"Now that's what I call taking out the trash!" She exclaimed, and she heard Cam congratulate her over the morpher communication system. She looked around. Dustin and Tori had it under control, and Shane killed the last Kelzak as Maddy watched. Maddy made her way over to Shane, and when she arrived, Tori and Dustin had finished their Kelzaks as well. As they regrouped, they shouted:

"Wind!" Shane shouted  
"Power!" Tori yelled.

"Rangers!" Dustin hollered.

"Rock!" Maddy cheered.

The monster laughed.

"You were fine against Kelzaks, but you really didn't think that was all we had, did you?" The monster asked with a laugh. He shot lasers at the teens, and Shane jumped out of the way, and activated his hang glider.

"Hey guys, check it out!" Shane called from where he was in the air. The others were on their hang-gliders as well.

"This is sooo cool!" Maddy squealed from her purple hang-glider. She laughed when Shane swooped down and grabbed the monster.

"Now this is what I call getting air!" Shane called to his friends.

"No, put me down!" The monster begged.

"Sure!" Shane said cheerfully, and he dropped the monster.

"I'm afraid of heeeeiiiiggggghhhhhttttts!" the monster squealed as he fell. Maddy laughed.

"Nice one, Shane!" Maddy called to her friend, as they all jumped off their hang gliders and landed.

"That's it!" the monster said, as he got up.

"What's it? Are you tired of getting your butt kicked?" Maddy asked innocently.

"Do you wanna go home and cry to Lothor?" Tori asked, just as sweetly.

"Why you little-" the monster began, but he never got to finish his sentence.

Maddy, Shane, Tori, and Dustin took turns slamming the monster with their swords.

"Guys, let's use our special weapons!" Maddy said excitedly.

"Yeah, let's do it!" Shane said.

"Lightning Bow, charged up!" Maddy called.

"Sonic Fin, Sound off!" Tori shouted.

"Hawk Blaster, powered up!" Shane hollered.

"Lion Hammer, ready to roar!" Dustin yelled.

"Ready!" The four teens cried in unison.

"Beat this, blue due!" Dustin slammed his Lion Hammer to the ground. The Lion Hammer shook the ground below the monster's feet, and the monster was thrown into the air, and slammed back into the ground a second later.

"Time for target practice!" Maddy called as she pulled back her bow. The monster tried to run, but Maddy's arrows from her bow found him anyway. The arrows jolted him with electricity, and the monster fell gracelessly to the ground. Maddy grinned beneath her helmet.

"Ready for a workout? And one, and two, and work those abs, work it! Annddd, down!" Tori used her Sonic Fin to pull the monster up and down in mid-air, and spin him around. The monster complied, against his will.

"Is it hot out here, or is it just you?" Shane asked as he blasted and roasted the monster with flames from his Hawk Blaster. The monster shrieked in horror as he was roasted.

"Let's put em' together, guys!" Dustin said, as soon as they finished using their special weapons on the monster.  
"Storm Charger!" They called together.

"I'm soo scared."The monster snarled sarcastically.

"Bro, you should be!" Maddy said with a laugh.

"Ready?" Dustin asked.

"Aim!" Tori yelled.

"Fire!" Shane shouted.

"Later, dude." Shane said with a grin as the freaky monster exploded. The Wind Rangers all open their visors, and stand there.

"That just happened, right?" Shane asked, still staring at the spot that the monster had

"I'm pretty sure it did." Tori said, and her eyes were fixated on the spot the monster had stood as well.

"That was incredible." Maddy breathed.

"That was awesome!" Dustin shouted.

The ninjas all began cheering and laughing as they realized that they truly were Power Rangers.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

The four teens were all congratulating each other.

"Oh, no, that was you, Miss Fluid and Graceful." Shane said to Tori as they all entered Ninja Ops. "Yeah, but let's not forget Mr. Child of the Earth with that amazing move with ground teleporting! " Tori said, as she high-fived Dustin. "Hey, hey, hey, let's remember Miss Energetic and Unpredictable with the sick aim on the bow!" Dustin said, as he high-fived Maddy. "Let's remember Mr. Reaching for the Stars, with that awesome gun! The thing shot fire!" Maddy squealed excitedly, as she grinned at Shane.

"You did well, Rangers. But the battle has only begun. Lothor won't stop until the planet is in his grasp. You will have to keep fighting until he is destroyed. Your job has only just begun, Power Rangers." Sensei said.

"Good job, guys." Cam said grudgingly as he worked on something at the computer.

Maddy smiled. "Thanks, Cam." She said sweetly.

"Now that your job has begun, there are three rules you must abide by. Never reveal your identity to anyone, never use your powers for personal gain, and never escalate a fight without being provoked." Sensei instructed.

"Yes Sensei." Tori, Shane, Maddy and Dustin said in unison.

"Oh man, what time is it." Maddy asked suddenly.

Tori glanced at her watch.

"Five after, why?" Tori asked. The girls had no idea that they were replaying the exact conversation Kelly and Dustin had had earlier.

"Déjà vu." Dustin muttered, running his hand through his already messy hair.

"Yeah, 5 after what?" Maddy asked.

"5 after 5, and I ask again, why?" Tori asked.

"Aw crap!" Maddy exclaimed. "I was supposed to be home at 4:30, Nani's gonna kill me!" Maddy exclaimed, and she took off running for the door. "Bye Sensei, bye Cam!" She said as she ran out. Tori started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Dustin asked confusedly.

"Maddy forgot I was her ride home." Tori said, laughing. "And your guys' too. We better hit it, our own parents will be wondering where we are." The teens left, calling out their goodbyes as they left.

Cam stared after then. "Do you really think they have what it takes, Father?" Cam asked seriously.

"I know they do, Cam." Sensei said calmly.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy flew in the door, clutching her bag and surfboard, at 5:23. Nani was in the living room, watching the news as she worked on a cross stich problem. When her granddaughter walked in, she muted the TV.

"Nani, I can explain." Maddy said as she rushed into the living room.

"Ok, let's hear it." Nani was a very kind and forgiving person, but one thing she did not tolerate was lateness.

"Well, I was at the Academy, and well, something came up." Maddy said, nervously, because she really didn't want to get in trouble with Sensei for saying too much, but she didn't want to lie. She hoped Nani wouldn't press her for more answers. Nani merely sighed.

"Well, go on up to your room, and start practicing some of your symbols. We'll have dinner at 6:30. What do you want?" Nani asked.

"Can we have pizza? Pepperoni?" Maddy asked.

Nani smiled at her granddaughter.

"Sure, sweetheart. You can tell me about your day, and what delayed you." Nani said kindly.

"'Kay." Maddy said nervously, and flew out of the room. Nani heard her pounding up the stairs, and heard Maddy's bedroom door shut, and she wondered why her granddaughter seemed so jumpy.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy flopped down into her purple and blue butterfly style chair, and sighed. It was gonna be hard keeping this from Nani. She thought. What can I saw tonight that isn't a lie, but I'm not breaking the rules? She wondered. Maddy noticed that Nani had set up her easel, and had put all Maddy's colored pencils, pencils and markers in the little tray. Maddy's black paint and a brush sat in a separate tray. She picked a pencil up, and carefully painted her symbol. Before she could draw it again, her cellphone vibrated. Maddy put down her paintbrush, and checked her phone. It read 1 New Text, from Tori. Maddy opened up the message. Did you get in trouble? Tori had asked. Maddy slid open the keyboard, and fired back a quick reply. Nope, but I will if I don't work on these symbols. She hit ok, and tossed her phone onto her dresser, and turned her radio on. She didn't hear her phone vibrate once more. Tori had replied: What symbols? And why are you practicing them?

Ta-da! That's the first chapter in the series of Maddy Oliver. I had several hints toward future stories in these, but I will not confirm or deny anything! I know the ending wasn't the best, but bear with me. :D Thanks for reading, and please comment!


	2. Chapter 2: No I in Team

**DISCLAIMER:I OWN NOTHING, other than Maddy, Nani, and anything unrecognizable! Power Rangers belongs to Saban, but Ninja Storm was made by Disney. Authors Note: This chapter has been dedicated to _TrueWhiteLightRangerZora_ and _sardellihalas, _for being my 1st 2 reviewers. Thank you so much for reviewing/following, it means more than I can even express! :D Thank you, thank you so much! In response to Q537's review (He or she is a guest), you'll just have to wait and see. :)**

* * *

The four Ninja Rangers are trudging through the desert, in full Ninja garb, with their hands bound together.

"C'mon you guys!" Shane exclaimed as they walked through the desert. He yanked his teammates forward, and they yelped in pain.

"Ow, Shane!" Tori complained. The four continued to walk along, until Shane burst out with:

"This is gonna take all day!" he said, throwing his arms forward.

"Ow, Shane would you stop pulling?! My wrist is totally tweaked! If I can't throw the back-handspring tonight I'm coming after you!" Maddy said in frustration.

"Sorry, Maddy. It would be so much faster if we could split up." Shane said.

"Not to mention less painful!" Tori muttered.

Shane gave her The Eye.

"This scroll of 3 thing better be important. These cuffs are totally brutal." Dustin complained, attempting to rub his wrist, but ended up yanking Maddy's wrist towards him. Maddy sighed in frustration.

"Sensei wouldn't have sent us if it wasn't important." Shane pointed out.

"What does this scroll look like, anyways?" Dustin asked, as he scanned the area for any scrolls.

"I'm thinking that if we see a scroll anywhere around here, that'll be it." Tori said. Dustin looked around again.

"Ok, well, there's one." Dustin said, pointing with his unbound hand.

"Wow. That's probably it then." Maddy said, staring at the floating scroll.

"Then c'mon!" Shane exclaimed, yanking them forward.

"Wait, it says something!" Tori said, and she tried to stop, but got pulled along.

"Stronger is 1 than 3." Shane read from the scroll.

"What? That's it? We're better off buying a fortune cookie!" Dustin complained.

"Ooo, a fortune cookie sounds really yummy right now! I hope Nani gets Chinese for supper tonight!" Maddy exclaimed excitedly.  
"Whatever, let's just grab it and bail." Tori said, ignoring her friend's outburst.

"I'll get it!" Shane said, and he jumped for it. They all landed in a heap. There was a collective groan from everybody involved.

"Who's on my foot? Shane!" Dustin complained.

"Ok, now if you guys don't get up soon, the purple ranger won't exist any more!" Maddy squeaked from where she was stuck at the bottom of the pile. Tori, Shane, and Dustin quickly got off of Maddy and they pulled her up.

"Thank you." Maddy said with relief, because she could breathe freely again.

"That was SO not effective." Tori pointed out.

"No kidding. Epic fail times four." Maddy said with a smirk.

"I can do this myself!" Shane suddenly exclaimed, and was about to make another wild lunge for the scroll, until a party of Kelzaks appeared.

"Uhh, Kelzaks, party of ten!" Dustin said, as the four teens fell into defensive stances. They began their fight, severely limited by the fact that they were bound together.

"Will you stop pulling my arm, Shane?!" Tori snapped as Shane accidentally yanked her arm.

"Wait don't pull!" Dustin exclaimed as Maddy accidentally pulled his arm trying to defend herself.

"Sorry!" Maddy said tersely to Dustin.

"Dustin!" Tori cried.  
"Dustin look out!" Shane called as they flipped him over. Maddy laughed.

"That looked like fun!" She exclaimed, jealous that Dustin got flipped over.

Shane managed to maneuver them into position and the Kelzaks cut off their binds.

"Stay here, I'll get the scroll!" Shane exclaimed as he ran towards the scroll.

"Dude!" Dustin yelled.

"Shane, wait! Stop!" Tori called after her friend.

"Shane don't leave us!" Maddy cried as she unsuccessfully tried to keep from getting captured by Kelzaks.

"Aw man!" Shane said as he heard his friends calling for help. He turned just in time to see the Kelzaks grab them. He debated whether to get his friends or get the scroll.

"Shane!" Tori cried.  
"Dude Help us!" Dustin called.

"Leave the scroll!" Maddy exclaimed as she struggled madly against her captors.

"Aww, man!" Shane said, knowing they had failed, and that his friends were technically dead. The Kelzaks disappeared, and the simulation faded. Maddy yanked off her hood, revealing her curly hair that had been braided. She shook the sand out of it.

"I almost had it!" Shane said in frustration, and he slammed his fist into his hand.

"Simulation over. Well, that was below average. It's on the on the mainframe if you want to relive any of it." Cam said, as he turned back to his computer

"Rangers, you are lucky this was only a simulation." Sensei said sternly as the four teens rubbed their aching wrists.

"Sensei, why can't we get this right? Why do we keep failing?" Tori asked.

"That is for you to find out. We will try again tomorrow." Sensei replied calmly.

"C'mon Tor, Mads." Dustin said, and the three teens turned to leave.

"Wait, where are you guys going?" Shane asked.

"Home." Dustin replied.

"Gymnastics." Maddy said. "Y'know, if I get the feeling back in wrist." She added, as she sent a glare directed at Shane.

"Wait, you can't!" Shane exclaimed, as he tried to stop his exhausted friends from leaving.

"Sensei said we could try again tomorrow." Tori said, running a hand through her hair.

"I have to go. I've got gymnastics, as I said earlier." Maddy pointed out.

"Dude, if I don't get some sleep, tomorrow will be a replay of today." Dustin pointed out as he stifled a yawn.

"You guys can't go until you get it right!" Shane snapped.

"Until WE get it right?! You did not just say that!" Maddy snapped right back at him.

"That's not what I meant." Shane hastily added.

"Oh we know what you meant." Tori said angrily.

Shane grabbed both her and Dustin's wrist, and they shook him off.

"This is NOT Ninja School anymore! This is the real deal!" Shane said harshly.

"1st of all, NO DUH! We're here at the same time you are, and we stay for the full time, same as you! You have no right to act as if we don't take this seriously! " Maddy snapped angrily.  
"Dude, If you think you can do a better job by yourself, then go for it man!" Dustin said. The Earth Ninja seldom got angry, but he was pretty mad at his friend.  
"Maybe I will!" Shane snapped, just as angry at his friends, as they were at him.

"Fine!" Tori said, and she turned to leave.

"Whatever." Maddy said, and she stormed up the stairs.

"Later, dude." Dustin said over his shoulder, as he too left.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Tori, Dustin, and Maddy were on their way back to Blue Bay, and they couldn't help discussing what had just happened.

"I feel kinda bad now. Should I have said what I said back there?" Maddy asked nervously.

"I think you had a right to say what you did. We all did." Tori said.

"We do have a right to be angry, I agree, and Shane didn't have the right to yell at us, but maybe we should have responded calmer." Dustin pointed out gently, so the two females in the car wouldn't start yelling at him. Maddy sighed.

"You're right, Dustin, I really shouldn't have lost my temper." Maddy said sadly. She frowned.

"Yes! I'm right, that never happens!" Dustin said excitedly, trying to lighten the mood. Lucky for him, it worked, because both Maddy and Tori laughed.

"Uhh, Tori? I just realized 2 things. One, how is Shane gonna get home? We left without him." Maddy pointed out, starting to snicker at Shane's misfortune.

"Oh, he can just streak home." Tori said absentmindedly.

"WHAT?!" Maddy asked horrified.

"Nononono, not THAT kinda streak. Ninja Streak." Dustin said hurriedly corrected his horrified friend.

"What's that?" Maddy asked, curious to know what a Ninja Streak was.

'Well, it's, well, I'm not really sure how to explain it. It makes you run super fast, in like, a streak." Tori explained.

"Cool. Can you teach me how to?" Maddy asked excitedly.

"Well, maybe you better ask Sensei if you're allowed to first." Dustin said.

"Ok, cool. The second thing is, I am gonna be SO late for gymnastics. Miss Lucy's gonna kill me. I didn't plan on the delay with the arguing and stuff." Maddy said, and nervously messed with her braid.

"Do you have you bag with you?" Tori asked her sad friend.

"Yeah." Maddy patted the purple bag with zebra-striped ends that said Shooting Stars Gymnastics on the side.

"I could drop you off." Tori suggested.

"But it's way out of your way, I don't want you to go across town just for me!" Maddy said.

"It's not across town, silly, it's just a couple blocks. Anyways, Dustin, doesn't your shift at Storm Chargers start in like, 10 minutes?" Tori asked.

"Oh, man, yeah I forgot." Dustin said, running his hand through his messy hair. No afternoon nap for him.

I can drop you both off, and I was planning to go to Storm Chargers anyway." Tori said.

"Thanks, Tori!" Dustin and Maddy chimed in unison.

"I just gotta text Nani, so she knows I got a ride." Maddy said as she pulled out her phone. She typed: Tori giving me a ride to gymnastics, I need to be picked up at 5:30 today, 3, Maddy.

The teens turned their subject of discussion away from rides and Shane, and Maddy and Dustin got into a heated discussion regarding the pros and cons of riding 250's. Tori simply kept her eyes on the road as she listened to her friends. They could make such a cute couple, but I'm totally dead if I ever said that out loud. Tori thought, and smiled. They arrived at Shooting Stars, and Maddy grabbed her bag.

"Cross your fingers that I nail the back handspring!" Maddy called over her shoulder as she ran inside.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Later that night, Maddy was putting away her gymnastics gear in the closet, and thinking about what had happened that day. No monster attacks, which was good, and a fight with Shane, which was bad. They had Chinese for supper, which was good, because Maddy got her fortune cookie. After gymnastics, Nani didn't ask a bunch of questions regarding where she was, which was good. Then what happened at gymnastics, that was bad. Miss Lucy, the advanced level teacher, hand wanted everyone to get down he back-handspring, and everybody did, except Maddy, who had to go last, and her wrist hurt from Shane's constant yanking, and she ended up doing a massive belly flop. Miss Lucy yelled at her. So, Maddy decided to file the day in her mental "bad day" file. Her phone vibrated, Tori texted asking how everything went. Maddy just texted back a frowny face. Maddy glanced at her clock. It was 8:30. She had nothing to do, so she simply cranked her radio, and flopped down on her floor, and let the sounds of music relax her.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

The next day, Cam was working on the Zords, and was getting rather frustrated.

"I just can't get this one piece to fit! I just need to find a way to harness more power from the hydraulic system." Cam said, as he turned away from the mainframe computer.

"Not all power is found in a computer, Cam." Sensei said cryptically.

"What other kind is there?" Cam wondered aloud, but before Sensei could answer, Tori, Dustin, and Maddy entered Ninja Ops.

"Where's Shane?" Cam asked curiously. The 4 world saving teens were usually all arrived at one time.

"I don't know, single handedly saving the world?" Dustin said crabbily.

"Must be nice to be a one man army." Tori snorted.

"With Shane on the job alone, I'm sure Lothor has been sent packing already." Maddy said sarcastically as she flopped down by the wall.

"All pieces will fit together. Shane will understand if you help him." Sensei told the three frustrated teens.

"That's the problem, he won't let us help!" Tori exclaimed.

"He will, in time." Sensei said.

After a pause, Tori spoke up once more.

"Sensei, will we ever need to Ninja Streak as rangers?" Tori asked. If Sensei had been human, he probably would have looked at her funny, but never less, he answered her question.

"It is a possibility, why?" Sensei asked the young Water Ninja.

"Well, we, me and Dustin, were thinking that if the time arose, we may need to Ninja Streak, and Maddy doesn't know how." Tori said. Tori faltered. Maddy eyes got a little bigger, and so did her smile, as she realized what her friend was trying to ask.

"Yeah, so can we have permission to teach her?" Dustin cut in.

"I agree that this is a necessary skill, and one day, your very lives could depend on it. I will allow you to train Madison in this skill." Sensei said calmly.

"Thanks Sensei, c'mon, Maddy!" Dustin said as he took off for the stairs leading out to the academy grounds. Maddy leapt up from her sitting position against the wall, and raced after him, with Tori hot on her heels. Cam got up from his chair. There was no way he was gonna miss something this hilarious. He grabbed his camera.

"I'm gonna go make sure nobody gets hurt." Cam said with a smirk, and went after the 3 teens.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

As Cam came up the stairs, Dustin was about to start his "demonstration" of ninja streaking.

"So, first, you have to bend your knees, and make sure there's nothing in front of you. It's not fun to slam into a tree at high speed." Dustin said, trying to be serious. Maddy giggled.

"Then, you kinda, well, jump into it." Dustin demonstrated, and he flew into a streak, which was awesome, until he streaked to far towards the edge of Academy grounds, and hit a tree. Maddy ran over to him

"Oh my gosh, are you ok?" She asked.

'Yeah, I'm fine." Dustin said, rubbing his sore forehead. They walked back to Tori, Maddy struggled to choke back a laugh, and did Tori. All through this, Cam was videotaping. The girls finally lost it, laughing so hard they fell on their butts. Dustin tried to look angry, but he couldn't and he ended up laughing too. As soon as they all had caught their breath, Dustin decided to let Tori take it from there.

"Ok, so, now that Dustin has demonstrated to do's and don'ts, you try." Tori said.

"Are you sure?" Maddy asked nervously.

"Positive." Tori said with a smile.

"Ok, but if I die, I blame you two, although if I'm dead, I can't talk, but if I was ghost-"

"Quit stalling, MADISON." Tori said, putting emphasis on Maddy's full name. Maddy gave her the evil eye, but complied.

"Ok, just look for any trees, bend your knees, and jump." Maddy muttered to herself. Maddy bent her knees, and then jumped, but she fell flat on her face. Tori laughed, but helped her friend up.

"You just gotta believe you can do it!" Dustin called from where he was standing behind Maddy. Maddy tried again, and failed several more times. Maddy gave Tori ad Dustin a pleading look.

"Can we stop now? My face hurts." Maddy pouted. Her face was slpattered with mud and dirt.

"Do it again!" Tori insisted.

"Fine." Maddy muttered. She focused everything on Ninja Streak. She bent her knees, and jumped, and she did it! Maddy became a purple blur as she streaked around the training area, squealing.

"Like a boss! That's right! Look at the Ninja Streak capable Lightning Ranger!" Maddy bragged as she ran around the grounds. She was squealing because, OmZ, this is fun! But, she stopped squealing as soon as she realized something

'How do I stop?!" Maddy squeaked, as she flew past Tori and Dustin.

"Just stop your feet!" Tori called after her speeding friend. Maddy stopped her legs, tripped, and fell into a bush. Maddy stood up.

"THAT WAS AWESOME!" She yelled. Then Maddy noticed something. The something was Cam, holding the video camera.

"Cam, have you been video-taping this?!" She shrieked. Tori and Dustin started laughing.

"Uh-oh." Cam muttered, as Maddy went into Ninja Streak, and grabbed the camera from Cam, and when she stopped, she turned it off record mode but turned on the view mode. Cam ran over to get his camera back. Maddy gave him the evil eye, but then she started watching the tape, she started laughing. She had reached the part where Dustin hit the tree. Cam got his camera back while Maddy was distracted. Cam did his own Ninja Streak, and made a break for the doors, and disappeared inside.

"Well, congrats, thanks to your skilled instructors, you now understand Ninja Streak." Dustin said cheerfully. Maddy cheered, and they headed back inside.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

When they arrived back inside, Cam was typing frantically at the computer.

"What's up, Cam?" Tori asked as Maddy, Dustin and her went over to the computer.

"It's Shane, and some weird magnet head thing. I tapped into the police surveillance system when the disturbance started." Cam replied, as he continued typing.

"Back up the truck, you hacked the police satellite?" Maddy asked in shock. No one answered her question.

"We better go help him." Dustin said as they reluctantly headed towards the door.

"Wait! I will tell you when it is time." Sensei said. Maddy, Dustin, and Tori went back over to the Mainframe. They had no choice but to watch as their friend got battered.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

The second that Shane said "Tori, Dustin, Maddy, I need your help!" the teens had turned to Sensei with wide eyes.

"Now?" Dustin asked anxiously. Sensei nodded.

"Let's do it!" Maddy said.

"Ninja Storm, Ranger form, HA!" The 3 teens said in unison.

"Power of Water!" Tori cried.  
"Power of Earth!" Dustin yelled.

"Power of Lightning!" Maddy called.

They ran out of Ninja Ops. Cam watched them go with a look of longing in his eyes, but he turned back to his computer.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Tori, Dustin and Maddy ninja streak in and attack the Mad Magnet. After they had each slammed him with their swords, the items stuck to Shane fell off of him.

"You ok?" Tori asked.

"Fine now. You guys came!" Shane said excitedly. He thought he had been a goner. They all opened their visors.

"Of course we did!" Maddy said, shocked that Shane thought they would have abandoned him.

"I can't believe I was such a jerk!" Shane said apologetically.

"I can." Dustin said.

"Dustin!" Tori and Maddy both snapped. Dustin laughed and clapped his friend on the shoulder.

"I'm just bustin' on you, bro!" Dustin said with a laugh.

"We know you're great at this stuff, but we got your back, don't forget that!" Tori reminded him.

"Thanks, guys. By the way, Maddy, when'd you learn to Ninja Streak?" Shane said.

"YEAHAHA! I'm not finished destroying you yet!" Mad Magnet shrieked. The teens looked at one another and nodded.

"I'll tell ya later. Back to business." Maddy said, and she snapped her visor shut. The others followed suit, and went for the attack.

"Dream on!" Tori said to Mad Magnet.

"New plan! Ninja Air assault!" Shane called as he ran through the air to Mad Magnet and slashed him with his swords.

"I'm so over this guy!" Shane finished.

"Why not give up already?" Mad Magnet taunted as he shot them with his energy. The Rangers all fell to the ground.

'That's gonna hurt in the morning!" Maddy groaned as she got up.

"I'm all charged up!" Mad Magnet bragged.

"Look, his energy center!" Tori said, pointing at the energy radiating ball.

"I see it!" Dustin exclaimed.

"Let's take it out! Lightning Bow!" Maddy said, summoning her special weapon.

"Lion hammer!" Dustin cried.

"Sonic fin!" Tori called out.

"Hawk blaster! Put em' together, and whaddya get!" Shane shouted.

"Storm charger!" They shouted together.

"Kids, don't try this at home!" Maddy said with a grin, and they fired the weapon, which destroyed the Mad Magnet.

"Yeah!" Tori said happily.

"Alright!" Dustin cheered, and the rangers all high-fived each other.

"Score-Rangers 2, Lothor 0!" Maddy squealed. Maddy's happiness was short lived, as suddenly the Mad Magnet grew huge.

"Bigger is better! Whaddya wanna do, puny rangers?" The Mad Magnet laughed.

"You should really cut down on the carbs." Dustin said, as he stared up at the giant monster.

"And the ice cream. Crap, now I want ice cream! I really have to stop talking about food." Maddy added, as she too stared up at Mad Magnet. He tried to step on them, but thankfully their Ninja reflexes saved them from becoming Power Pancakes. Maddy heard Cam talking on her morpher.

"Rangers, listen closely. Hidden in a sub terrain hangar are 3 robotic assault vehicles. Now that Lothor's raised the stakes, we have no choice but to call on them. Guys, I'm sending you some big time backup. The Hawk Zord. The Dolphin Zord. The Lion Zord. And the Panther Zord. They materialize through holographic portals, and are controlled by using your Inner Ninja powers of Air, Water, Earth, and Lightning. Zords are equipped with state-of-the-art technology that can be accessed using your Power Coins. I'll be sending you new Power Discs as you master each skill level." Cam instructed them.

"The Hawk Zord's all mine, haha!" Shane said as he claimed the Hawk.

"Yes Shane. You will be piloting the Hawk Zord. Tori, use your power of water to pilot your Dolphin Zord." Cam continued.

"Well, that makes sense." Tori said as she waited for her Zord to appear.

"Dustin, you'll be controlling the mighty Lion Zord-"Cam said, but was cut of by Dustin.

"That's massive, dude!" Dustin exclaimed as he stared up into the sky at his Zord.

"And finally, Maddy, you will control the powerful Panther Zord." Cam finished, leaving the rangers to stare in awe at the massive machines.

"It's amazing! Maddy exclaimed.

"Huh?" Mad Magnet squeaked as the Zords began to appear.

"Whoa, those are flashy new rides." Dustin breathed.

"I knew he was working on something!" Shane claimed as they all stared at the powerful fighting machines.

"Can we get back to work?" Tori asked, yanking the other Rangers out of their daze.

"Let's do it!" Shane ordered, and they all jumped into their respective Zords.

"Whoa, check it out!" Shane said, as he looked around the city from his Hawk Zord, and looked at all the controls.

"I got cup holders!" Maddy squealed excitedly. "Although I have no idea when I'll be drinking something and fighting at the same time, but I am NOT complaining!" She added.  
"I got seat warmers!" Dustin cheered. Maddy rolled her eyes, but was smiling.

"Alright, let's do this!" Tori said.  
"You think metal can stop me?" Mad Magnet scoffed.

"Let's fight fire with fire! Flame attack!" Shane called as his Hawk blasted flames at Mad Magnet.

"Huh? Ahhh!" Mad Magnet looked around in confusion and then squealed like a baby when he was roasted in the flames.

"Check out these turbo's, man, I'm fired up!" Shane bragged to his friends.

"Surf's up, dude!" Tori called as she sent a massive wave of water towards Mad Magnet. The Mad Magnet screamed as the water toppled him.

"And he is washed up! She shoots, she scores!" Tori cheered.

"That's 2 for 2! Although a penalty may be awarded to the blue ranger for over celebration. " Maddy called out.

"Yeah, dolphin victory dance! No, he's got me!" Tori was still celebrating, until the Mad Magnet caught her.

"No, I'm hit!" Shane cried, as the Mad Magnet grabbed him.

"Hey, watch the fin! Dustin!" Tori yelled.

"Well, guess it's up to us!" Maddy called. Dustin looked at his control panel, and waved his finger around.

"I pick…you! It's the lion tornado blast!" Dustin said as he created a tornado directed at Mad Magnet. Maddy watched as the mane on Dustin's lion spun faster and fasters.

"That's what I call blowing chunks!" Dustin laughed as chunks of stuff were blown straight at Mad Magnet, who yelled. Tori and Shane were freed from the monsters clutches.

"Thanks Dustin!" Tori said gratefully to the Yellow Ranger.

" My turn! Electric storm!" Maddy called, as the Panther Zord raised it's paw and shot energy beams out of it, which electrocuted the Mad Magnet. As soon as the last bot hit him, Mad Magnet fell forward and exploded.

"Yeah, we did it!" The four teens were celebrating.  
"Metal head's in the scrap pile!" Dustin cheered. Once again, the celebrating didn't last for too long, because Mad Magnet managed to regenerate once more.

"I'm back!" The magnet-head taunted the teens.

"Aw man! How does he keep coming back?" Dustin exclaimed.

"I don't know, maybe it's his 'magnetic' personality." Tori said in annoyance. Maddy did a little golf clap in her zord.

"Nicely played, Tori, nicely played." Maddy joked.

"What can we do now?" Shane exclaimed.

"Shane, you do know. Feel what is in side you; your Ninja Powers will help to guide you." Sensei said, his furry face appearing on-screen.

"The scroll! One has the power of three!" Shane exclaimed, catching on.

"Alright, let's do it!" Maddy said. All four teens his a button, and their once singular Zords were combined into a human-like robot.

"It's a Megazord!" Tori exclaimed.

"Mega cool." Dustin stated as he looked around.

"Mega Fools!" Mad Magnet taunted once more.

"Oh now you did not just hate on this beautiful thing!" Maddy said, comically outraged.

"Cam, what next?" Shane asked nervously. He didn't want to ruin the Megazord by hitting a wrong button, because not only would Cam kill him, and there was a good chance Maddy would too. And Tori and Dustin. Basically he'd be dead x4.

"This is all I've got. Make it last. Follow the cues on the prompt screen. The disk will activate your next power level. " Cam instructed.

"Guys, do what I do! Inserting power disk in sphere drive." Shane locked and dropped the disk.

"You got it." Dustin replied as he locked and dropped the disk.

"Locked and dropped!" Maddy replied happily as she locked and dropped as well. Tori followed their lead, and sent her dos through as well.

"Activating disk in power sphere…now!" Tori said.

"Power Sphere, activate Serpent Sword! Megazord, multiply." The four Ninjas called in unison.

"That's awesome!" Maddy exclaimed as the Megazord multiplied.

"3 against one? That's not fair!" Mad Magnet complained as he was now faced with 3 opponents instead of one.

"Aw, man up. Or at least boy up!" Maddy yelled at Mad Magnet.

"Ready?" Tori asked.

"Aim!" Maddy and Dustin exclaimed together.  
"Fire!" Shane yelled. They fired their weapon, and Mad Magnet exploded. For good.

"It's now officially Rangers 2, Lothor 0! Take that, evil space ninja!" Maddy yelled. The teens all exited their Zords. The rangers all exchanged high-fives as they cheered.

"We did it!" Tori said excitedly.

"We sure did!" Dustin said happily.

"Nice teamwork, guys." Shane complimented his team. The four teens made sure no one was around and they Ninja Streaked back to Ninja Ops.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

When the 4 teens arrived back at Ninja Ops, Cam was at the mainframe, and Sensei was working on a jigsaw puzzle.

"All the people are back to normal." Cam announced, as the statues of people came apart. Dustin barely heard him, he was so excited.

"We get Zords. How stoked am I!" Dustin exclaimed excitedly.

"Dustin you should know that they are not toys. As Ninjas, you must know to never escalate a battle." Sensei told the excited Earth Ninja.

"That's cool with me, man." Dustin said, calming down.

"Now that you have learned to work as one, the balance of power will always be on your side." Sensei told the four rangers, as he pushed the final piece in place of his puzzle. Maddy looked at the completed puzzle, and started laughing. The puzzle formed the Megazord. The others laughed too. As soon as the laughter had died down, Shane turned to Maddy.

"You never told me when you learned to Ninja Streak." Shane pointed out. Maddy shared a glance with Tori, Dustin, and Cam.

"Well, it was this afternoon, while we were waiting for Lothor to give us a freak to destroy." Maddy said, while looking at the boy in green. Cam held up a disk and smirked.

"Maybe instead of explaining it to Shane, why don't we show him?" Cam said, and despite Maddy and Dustin's protests, he slid the disk into the computer. Shane went over to the computer to watch, despite the protests of Maddy and Dustin. Tori smirked and went with Shane. She didn't have anything embarrassing in the video. Maddy and Dustin, still complaining, went over to the mainframe. Cam hit play, and the video began. By the end, Shane, Maddy, Dustin, Tori, and surprisingly Cam as well were all howling with laughter. As soon as they had all caught their breath, Maddy pointed something out.

"If this wasn't a huge secret, I would SO put that on YouTube!" Maddy choked out, still laughing.

"Bet it would get over a million hits!" Dustin exclaimed.

"Bad news, guys, it IS some big secret, so we'll never know." Cam pointed out.

"Cam, you're such a downer!" Maddy said with a pout.

"Holy cow, I just thought of something!" Tori exclaimed.

"What?" Shane asked curiously, noting the mischievous gleam in his friends eye.

"What would it look like if we played it in slow-mo?" Tori asked with a grin.

"Oh my gosh I bet that'd be even funnier!" Maddy exclaimed. Cam rewound the tape, and played it in slow-mo. Slow-mo. wasn't the end of the crazy ways the teens played it that afternoon. They played it sped-up, backwards, sped-up times 2, and more. As they laughed, they had no idea that Lothor had something nasty brewing. No idea at all.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

* * *

**Ta-da! Chapter two. I'll try to keep the new chapters coming, and I should average somewhere around 1 or 2 chapters each week, depending on how much homework I have. Another side thing, as I progress into the series, then comes the process of picking out a pairing. I've already gotten several good suggestions, and I plan to make a poll after the 6****th**** episode. Thanks for reading, and review, please! :-D **


	3. Chapter 3: Beauty and the Beach

Hey everyone! I'm back, with more Maddy! Sorry for the long wait, I've rewritten this chapter twice, because I just didn't like how it had turned out, and because I was working on a video for YouTube, 10 Best Power Rangers Intros. Some fun news regarding Maddy-I have decided her pairing. First one to review will get a sneak peak of a future chapter revealing who our mystery guy is! Review! : D

**DISCLAIMER-I am not Haim Saban, so please note that I own nothing except anything unrecognizable. Shooting Stars Gymnastics is also fictional, although if it really exists somewhere, I don't own it. ;)**

It was a beautiful day at the Motocross track. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, not that Maddy noticed. She was tearing up the track. Kelly stood by the sidelines, holding a stopwatch. Dustin also stood at the sidelines, watching his friend. Maddy flew over the hill, and completed her second lap, and began her 3rd.

"Man, she is flying!" Dustin exclaimed as he watched his friend.

"Yeah, her lap times are at least 10 seconds ahead of what it was last summer." Kelly said as she clicked the stopwatch as Maddy flew across the finish line. Maddy pulled her bike to a halt, hopped off, and pushed her bike over to Kelly and Dustin.

"That was amazing! I didn't realize how much I missed riding until I got back on the bike!" Maddy exclaimed, as she yanked off her helmet, revealing her messy brown curls.

"You did a great job. Your lap times were about 10 seconds ahead of where they were last year." Kelly told the excited teen.

"Yes!" Maddy high-fived Dustin.

"Dude, I couldn't even tell you missed motto for months!" Dustin exclaimed.

"Thanks, Dustin." Maddy said with a grin. "Hey, what time is it?" Maddy asked Dustin.

"Uhh, I don't know. Hey Kelly, what time is it?" Dustin turned to the redhead.

"2:57, why?" Kelly asked.

"Ah, man, I gotta go! I have gymnastics at 3:45, and I have to get cleaned up. I'll see you guys later." Maddy said, and she yanked her helmet back on, hopped on her bike, and took off.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

30 minutes later, Maddy sat in her room. She was cleaned up, and ready for gymnastics, and she had time to spare. She began to work on unpacking her knickknacks, and stuff she just hadn't had time to unpack yet. Maddy opened the box labeled "Pictures", and her breathe caught in her throat as she picked up the first one. It was a family picture, the last one they had gotten before, well, it happened. Maddy stood in the middle of the picture, smiling happily, with her mom and dad behind her. Tears pricked at her eyes. It was harder losing her mom than anyone understood. Maddy hurriedly put the picture aside, before she started crying. If her eyes were red and puffy from crying, everyone would ask what was wrong, and she didn't want to go into that. The next picture was she from Nationals for dance. Maddy remembered the dance, every single step. The next picture was again her, with her plaque. She remembered getting called up to the stage, for first place in the Junior Solo Division, for Nationals for dance. Maddy flipped through the rest of the picture. They were all from dance or gymnastics, until she got to the bottom. There were two final pictures. The first was of her and her dad. The second was Maddy and her mom. Maddy sighed. Before she could do anything further, Nani called for her.

"Maddy, time to go!" Nani called up the stairs. Maddy grabbed her bag, and hurried out of the room, thundered down the stairs, and ran out to the car.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

"So how are you liking the Academy so far, Maddy?" Nani asked, as she drove along the main street in Blue Bay. Maddy bit her lip. She had tried to avoid the topic, for fear of saying too much, but she had no escape route.

'Well, um, I really like it." Maddy said nervously. She pushed back an errant curl that refused to stay in the bun behind her ear, and stared out the window.

"It seems to keep you quite busy. You're gone several hours each day." Nani said, while keeping her eyes on the road. Nani had sneaking suspicions that something was up.

"Yeah, lots of classes." Maddy said, twisting another uncooperative lock of hair.

"What types of classes?" Nani pressed.

"Well, um, hand-to-hand combat, and some stuff like that. Before Nani could question her further, they arrived at the studio.

"Bye Nani, I'll call you later!" Maddy exclaimed, as she practically leapt from the car. She ran inside.

Nani watched her go.

"Madison, I will find out what it is you're doing eventually." Nani murmured, as she put the car in motion, and left.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy entered Storm Chargers later that day, and headed straight for the couches. Maddy had changed out of her leotard, and was now wearing a purple t-shirt that said Shooting Stars Gymnastics that had a silver sparkly star on it, and grey kapris, with her blue flip-flops. She flopped down; causing more curls to come out of her bun, and closed her eyes. Dustin and Shane both called out greetings to the exhausted Purple Ranger, who didn't respond. Shane emerged from the workshop area to see what was up.

"Dude, what happened to you?" Shane asked as he stared down at Maddy.

"Gymnastics. That's what happened. Practice was hard." Maddy mumbled. Before Shane could respond, Tori entered Storm Chargers, and headed towards the workshop. Shane went back into the workshop as well. Maddy opened her eyes, to find she was by herself, and then she saw Tori at the workshop. Maddy decided to go see what was up with her.

"Hey dude. Shane thinks you're mad at him." Dustin said to Tori.

"Wow, that's why he gets the red suit." Tori replied sarcastically. Maddy giggled. She had to admit that was a pretty good comeback.

"What happened?" Maddy asked curiously. Tori didn't look too happy, so obviously something happened.

"Looonnnngggg story." Tori said, rolling her eyes.

"What happened? I mean, it didn't sound like a big deal to me." Dustin

"Does anyone want to explain to me what happened? Dustin? Tori? Shane? Anyone?" Maddy asked again. When no one replied, she pouted. She didn't like being kept in the dark.

"Dude, so Shane and Tori were at the beach, and some guy asked about Tori, and Shane sent him away. I don't get why it's such a big deal." Dustin explained. Maddy face palmed.

"You don't get it! I'm a girl. GIIRRRRLLLLL." Tori exclaimed.

"Dustin, bro, that's a huge deal." Maddy explained to the Earth Ninja.

"But only to girl-girls. You guys aren't like girl-girls." Dustin pointed out. Maddy cocked an eyebrow.

"You're like guy-girls!" Shane exclaimed triumphantly from the back. Maddy and Tori both glared at him. Shane shut up.

"My advice to you boys? Stop trying to make it better, because it's only getting worse. This showed up for you, Tori. " Kelly said, and she handed an envelope to the blonde teen.

"Wonder what it is." Tori mused, as she turned the envelope over.

"Where'd you find it?" Maddy asked Kelly curiously.

"I found it out back." Kelly explained.

"Girl Sport Magazine saw me surfing at the beach yesterday, and they want me for a photo shoot. " Tori read from the paper.

"Isn't that that magazine with incredible gorgeous girls?" Shane said, practically drooling at the thought of it. Tori raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah. So?" Tori asked, daring Shane to continue. Maddy held her breath, knowing if Shane said something else it was going to get ugly. Dustin smacked Shane on the shoulder.

"We'll just go back to silent mode now." Dustin said, as he went back to working on the bikes. Shane leaned against the workbench and watched his friend.

"So you gonna do it?" Kelly asked the blonde teen, who shrugged.

"I wanna show them I'm not some dopey tomboy." Tori said, as the idea of the photo shoot began to grown on her.

"I hope that's a good enough reason." Kelly said over her shoulder, as she left to help a customer. The two girls headed over to the couches.

"I think they know you're not a dopey tomboy." Maddy pointed out, twisting a loose curl as she said it.

"Well, I mean, what's the worst that could happen? At the very least people will know who I am. I might as well do it. It kinda sounds fun." Tori decided. Maddy gave her a long look.

"Photo shoots aren't as fun as you would think." Maddy mumbled, staring at the ground. Tori glanced at her friend, wondering what she was talking about, but decided to let it go. Sometimes Maddy was just like that.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Later that day, Maddy was back in her room, unpacking. Nani was downstairs watching the 7 o'clock news, so Maddy wouldn't be disturbed. Maddy put several of the dance and gymnastics photos on her dresser, but kept the rest in the box. She took the three photos of her family, looked at them again, and put the one of her and her dad on her dresser. She left the photos of her mom in he box. Maddy put the box of pictures in her closet. She had one more box left, labeled Dance. Maddy opened it up, and found her shoes, her trophies and awards, and the DVDs. There were a few empty shelves on her bookcase, and the dance trophies and awards went there. As Maddy picked up the DVD's, she studied the boxes. Dance Moms LA. Maddy looked at the pictures of her former team with each season box. There were different photos for each box, and Maddy was in several of them. Thankfully, Dance Moms LA had stopped airing, and Maddy's secret was safe.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

The next morning, Maddy headed to Storm Chargers. She was bored, she had practiced her symbols for at least 2 hours last night, so, Maddy figured she deserved a break. When she arrived at Storm Chargers, Shane and Dustin were there, but Tori wasn't.

"Hey guys. Do you know what time To-" Maddy got cut off by Tori's entrance. The three teens goggled at their friend. She was wearing a hideous costumes of red pants, flower print shirt, and a strange vest.

"Did you crash an outlet mall?" Shane asked.

"Yeah, I thought the Girl Sport people would have you wearing popular clothes." Dustin agreed. Maddy nodded, and added "What happened to your hair?" Tori simply glared at them. Maddy frowned. She'd never seen Tori like this.

"I HAVE to get to Ninja Ops." She proclaimed, rather loudly. Maddy, Dustin, and Sane yanked her into the corner.

"Tori, do you want somebody to find us out?!" Maddy exclaimed harshly.

"Look dude, I can't I've got bikes stacked up out the door." Dustin explained in a whisper.

"I was attacked by Kelzaks." Tori explained impatiently. Maddy, Shane, and Dustin shared a glance. Something was up. They had their suspicions, but they followed Tori.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

"We might have to stop for gas, man." Dustin noted as they drove down the highway. They were in heavy traffic.

"We're not stopping." Tori snapped, as she stared straight ahead.

"What if we don't make it?" Shane asked.

"We'll make it, just drive!" Tori snarled.

"Look at the gas gauge, Miss Smarty. There's a pretty good chance we won't make it." Maddy snapped. She was sick of Tori's rudeness and attitude. Shane, Dustin, and Maddy shared another glance.

"Aww, no, roadwork!" Dustin exclaimed. A man stood holding a sign saying, "STOP".

"Keep going!" Tori ordered rudely. Maddy turned to glare at her.  
"What do you want me to do?" Dustin asked. He was getting pretty frustrated. Tori opens the door, gets out, and starts screaming at the poor worker. Maddy stared at her, her mouth hanging open as she tries to comprehend what is going on.

"Hey, uh, does Tori seem a little, tense, to you, bro?" Shane asked nervously.

"Maybe just a little." Dustin agreed, watching the girl he thought of as a friend.

"No offense bro, but that may be the understatement of the century." Maddy replied, shocked at Tori's actions.

Tori climbed back in the van. Maddy was looking out the window, and saw a super-hot guy staring at Tori.

"Tor, that dude is totally checking you out." Maddy told her. Tori's head swiveled to look out the window.

"Tori look, it's that guy from the beach!" Shane said excitedly.

"Dude, I can see why she was mad at you now! That dude is HOT!" Maddy exclaimed from the backseat. Dustin and Shane both stared at Maddy. Maddy turned bright red, and was saved by Tori the terror.

"Can we just get moving?" Tori asked coldly, after glairing at the guy, who turned and walked away after seeing her reaction.

"I thought you we all into him." Shane said, looking at his friend. If she didn't like him, why had she gotten all upset? He wondered.

"CAN WE GET MOVING PLEASE?!" Tori shrieked.

"Yeah…" Dustin said, as he put the van in motion.

"Good Idea." Shane said. The teens drove along in silence. Suddenly, the van jerked to a halt, and Maddy whacked her head against the back seat.

"Owwwwwwww." She groaned. Noone heard her because of Tori the terror.

"WHAT NOW?!"" She screamed at Dustin.

"Dude that girl looks just like Tori!" Dustin pointed at the girl.

"Dang, Tori, I didn't know you had a twin!" Maddy exclaimed, staring at the girl. Tori got out of the van, and went over to the look-alike.

"Whatever you can do, I can do better." Maddy heard her snarl.

"Except pick clothes. And hairstyles. And makeup." The other Tori said. She sounded a lot like Tori. Is she Tori? Maddy wondered. The girls started fighting each other.

"C'mon, let's go!" Shane exclaimed, and the three teens hopped out of the van to help, well, Tori. The two look-alikes were locked in some extreme combat. Before they could help their friend. Maddy stopped short, causing Dustin and Shane to run into her.

"Who's who?" Maddy asked nervously. The girls looked the same. Same Ninja outfit, same hair, same voices, same everything. Suddenly, a monster appeared.

"Tori's busy, I heard you say, so Copybot's come to play!" The monster said, clapping his hands excitedly.

'He better not talk in rhyme the whole time, or I'll be completely out of my mind!' Maddy exclaimed. "Let's get this over and done with!" She added.

"Ready?" Shane asked. Maddy and Dustin nodded.

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form, HA!" They yelled together.

"Power of Air!" Shane yelled, as he stood in the clouds.

"Power of Earth!" Dustin called, while he stood in by the mountain.

"Power of Lightning!" Maddy cried, as a storm raged around her, and lightning struck the ground. The three Rangers began their attack. While they were fighting, the real Tori triumphs against her double, which melted. Tori ran over to her friends, and touched Maddy's arm. When Maddy turned, and saw who it was, along with the boys, fell into defensive stances.

"Guys its me!" Tori exclaimed happily. Maddy stared at her through her helmet, and looked at Dustin and Shane.

"Prove it." Dustin stated firmly. Maddy and Shane nodded, agreeing with their friend.

"Dustin, your real name is Waldo, Shane, you're afraid of spiders, and Maddy, you have a light scar above your left eye, but you keep it hidden under your bangs." Tori stated, smirking, as Dustin and Shane both did double takes.

"You're afraid of spiders?!" Dustin said, laughing at his annoyed friend.

"You wanna make something of it, Waldo?" Shane asked crabbily. That shut Dustin up.

"Wait, you have a scar over your left eye? From what?" Dustin asked curiously. Maddy froze. Her brain screamed at her to find a fake explanation. Thankfully, she was saved again by Tori.

"Look, you guys can get some therapy later on, ok? I think we have something more important to take care of. Ninja Storm, Ranger Form, HA!" Tori shouted, going into her morphing sequence.

"Power of water!" Tori called, as she stood on the waves of the ocean.

"Kelzaks,! Get them I say, attack right away!" Copybot yelled. Maddy rolled her eyes.

"Dude, your rhyming is not helping my headache!" Maddy exclaimed angrily. It was butt-kicking time. Maddy thought with a smirk.

"Ninja Swords!" The teens called together, summoning their weapons.

"Ninja Shadow battle!" Shane ordered, and they all fought behind their color-coded screens.

"I'll take some of that action! Dustin called as he took out some Kelzaks." That's a bad haircut." He added.

"If you can't beat em' screen em!" Tori said with a laugh. "Power Ranger makeover, complete!" She said, as she finished the Kelzaks.

"Umm, I have no cool fighting jokes or puns involving Kelzaks or screens at the moment soooo, I just go with HI-YAH!" Maddy yelled as she took out her Kelzaks.

"Have a nice day!" Dustin said cheerfully as the Kelzaks exploded.

"So you beat the Kelzaks, whoopdy-do, but you rangers will pay by the time I'm through!" Copybot chanted. He fired laser beams at the rangers, causing their suits to spark.

"Ow!" Maddy yelped as the sparks hit her. The other rangers groaned in pain as well.

"I'm over you, red, yellow, purple and blue!" Copybot said as he slammed them again and again with their swords. "Rangers, get up and fight! With my Copybot magic, this battle is sure to be tragic." Copybot added.

"I've got a little magic of my own. Blue ranger flood attack!" Tori cried. The entire area flooded with water from Tori's powers.

"Blue, I can't swim!" Copybot gurgled as he went underwater.

"Bro, I think that's the point." Maddy pointed out to the monster, as she, Shane, and Dustin watched.

"Copybot sushi, anyone? Water wave!" Tori shouted, and the water drained away without a trace it had been there. Maddy was impressed, to say the least. Tori returned to them, and they all turned and faced Copybot.

"Lion hammer!" Dustin shouted, calling forth his special weapon.

"Hawk blaster!" Shane yelled, as his Hawk Blaster appeared.  
"Sonic fin!" Tori cried, as her signature weapon came into her hands.

"Lightning bow!" Maddy called as she summoned her weapon.

"Storm Striker!" The Ninjas shouted together.

"Ready!" Shane shouted.  
"Aim!" Dustin and Maddy called together.

"Fire!" Tori ordered. The blast of energy shot out of the cannon, causing Copybot to explode.

"Yeah, we did it!" The teens cheered, and high-fived. Suddenly, a scroll appeared, and Copybot grew megasize.

"Look at me, I'm as big as a tree!" Copybot bragged, as he stomped his feet, which shook the ground.

"Cam, it's Zord time!" Tori called to their friend back at Ninja Ops.'

"Thank goodness for Zords." Maddy added, relived that they had the Zords in their aresenal.

"On it." Cam replied. The Rangers could hear him pressing buttons.

The Zords appeared, and the Rangers jumped into them and formed the Megazord.

"Feels good to be back in here." Maddy said happily, as she looked around the inside of the Panther Zord.

"Double attack! Give them a whack!" Copybot ordered, as two more Copybot's appeared. They slammed the Megazord to the ground.  
"Cam, we've go a serious multiplication problem here!" Tori shouted through her comlink on her morpher.

"I think I have the solution. Lightning Mode. It slims up the Megazord, but it only lasts 60 seconds." Cam explained.

"I like the sound, and name of this mode." Maddy said with a smirk. She was happy to be a lightning ninja just then.

"It takes longer to make microwave popcorn!" Shane exclaimed. Maddy groaned.

"We have got to stop referencing food while fighting or training, it makes me hungry!" Maddy declared.

"That's all the time we'll need." Tori said, ignoring Maddy's comment. Disks appeared, and the teens locked and dropped them into the Zords.

"Lightning Megazord, now!" They shouted together. The Megazord pieces shrunk in, and they resembled a skinny human now.  
"We're a lean, mean, fighting machine!" Shane declared, as he looked at the new Megazord.  
"Come and dance, there's so many of me you won't stand a chance!" Copybot taunted. The Megazord charged, destroying look-alikes left and right. Cam was keeping an eye on the clock back at Ninja Ops.

"20 seconds left!" Cam warned them.

"10 seconds, 9." Cam said, sounding a bit nervous. Right at the 9 second mark, the Rangers slash the original Copybot, who explodes.

"Couldn't copy." Tori said. The fight was over.

"Score: Rangers: 3, Lothor, still 0." Maddy said, impersonating a sports announcer. "Is someone writing this down somewhere?" Maddy asked. "We seriously need to keep track."

x**xxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Later that day, Maddy and Tori both entered Storm Chargers, and they were greeted by Shane staring at them.

"What?" Tori asked. She wasn't used to her friend staring at her,

"Yeah, why are you staring at us? It's freaky. Seriously," Maddy added. She twisted on of her curls, which was her nervous habit.

"You aren't completely, well, unbeautiful." Shane said hesitantly, as he stared at the floor.

"Uh, thanks?" Maddy said. She hoped Shane meant it as a complement. Before it got more awkward, Dustin popped up, along with Kelly.

"Hey, Tori, there's a customer here about surfboards, can you talk to him?" Dustin asked, as he pushed her in the direction of the surfboards. Maddy looked over by the surfboards and the guy from earlier caught her eye. She smiled.

"You realize I don't work here, right?" Tori said, raising her eyebrow.

"Yeah, will you, please?" Dustin begged. He was close to getting on his knees and begging. He started pushing her over towards the surfboards.

"Alright, alright." Tori said, relenting, and she headed over to the surfboards.

As soon as the Water Ninja was out of earshot, Maddy turned to her friends.

'I see what you did there. Smooth." Maddy said with a smirk. She watched everything play out.

"Can I help you?" Tori looked surprised, and happy, as she discovered Senor Hottie himself. He flashed her a smile, showing his perfect white teeth. Tori turned back to her friends, who were laughing, and giving her thumbs-up. The boys began knuckle bumping each other.

"Hi, I'm Tori." Maddy heard her friend say. Maddy smiled. Tori sounded happy.

"Hey, I'm Dill." The boy replied with another smile.

"Ohhh, Tori, if I could date, I would be so jealous." Maddy said watching them. Dustin and Shane turned to Maddy, who blushed again. "Did I seriously say that out loud?" Maddy asked. Her face was bright red.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy was back at Nani's. It was dinnertime. They were having fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, and roll, which was Maddy's absolute favorite meal. Maddy wondered what was up, but hey, why question the good food? As they ate, Nani made small talk, about the weather and such. Maddy was almost done with her food when Nani finally came out with it.

"Maddy, I'm sure you noticed the monster attack today, it was all over the news." Nani said. Maddy stared at her plate.  
"Yeah, I saw it." Maddy replied, nervously. Saw it? I was in the middle of it! She thought.

"I also trust you noticed the Wind Ninja Academy emblem on the robot?" Nani asked. Maddy knew it wasn't a question. She still stared at her plate, knowing that her face was bright red.

"Madison, will you explain what is going on?" Nani asked firmly. Once again, not a question. Maddy sighed. Sensei wasn't gonna like this.

"Well, um, I believe it was a Zord, like the folding Zords. And there are probably Power Rangers. Too. I guess." It was a weak defense, and Maddy didn't expect Nani to buy it, but she had to try.

'What element did you end up getting?" Nani asked, changing the subject completely. Maddy was relived, but then she froze again. Crap. Suddenly, the house phone rang. Saved by the bell, or rather, the ring. Maddy heard Nani pick up the phone, and after saying hello, she said, "Oh, hi, Belinda." Maddy knew it would be a long conversation, but frowned because she knew what it would be about. Maddy was in line to become a Samurai Ranger, like her mom, and her grandma. But, the bad part was that her mom had a twin sister. When the time came, and Maddy's mom was chosen to be a Samurai, Belinda had been really angry. Angry enough to barely speak to her twin sister. Belinda hadn't been at the funeral, and Maddy had only met Belinda and her cousins Mackenzie, who was Maddy's age, and Grayson, who was 3 years younger, once, maybe twice. When she had met them, they had been rude and condescending, so Maddy wasn't sad she rarely saw them. Belinda always called Nani to try and convince her that Mackenzie would make a better Ranger than Maddy, and to try and get Nani to train her. Hence the reason the phone calls were so long. Maddy got up from the table, put her dishes in the dishwasher, put leftovers in the fridge and went upstairs to her room.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

**Author's Note Continued-**

Ta-da! There was one of my surprises, why Maddy said she would be a Purple Ranger twice. Congrats to **DJScales** for figuring it out. I've also begun to show some of Maddy's tangled family tree. I'll try to get another chapter up this weekend, and once again, 1st reviewer gets a sneak peak of the pairing, and how I'm gonna introduce it! Sorry that this chapter was moe on the short side, it's because most of this centered around Tori, and I didn't have Maddy being captured and cloned, so it ended up being a bit on the short side.

Bye for now!

~weathergirl17248


	4. Chapter 4: Looming Thunder

**Author's Note:** So, here's another chapter! But I was wondering as I watched previous episodes, why are the boy's voices so deep while they're in costume. Weird. Moving on, congrats to **TrueWhiteLightRangerZora **for commenting 1st last night, and earning the preview! Check out her stories, they're pretty awesome. Now, this chapter is gonna be a lot longer than last night's. It just ended up being a longer, more complex episode. I felt like I just had to write today, after seeing the premiere of the new season of Power Rangers Super Samurai. Now, more Maddy!

**I own nothing except for Maddy, Nani, and any unrecognizable content. If you steal my work, I will Epic Spandex Rage! So, Power Rangers belongs to Saban, but Disney created Ninja Storm. Enjoy.**

Once again, Maddy was at the motto track with Dustin and Kelly. Maddy was delighted to be back, because she was seriously stressed out. Nani talked on the phone to Aunt Belinda for several hours last night, and around 8:45 she went upstairs to check on her granddaughter's symbols. She also told Maddy they would work on sword handling next, and then she really dropped a bomb on Maddy. Belinda, Mackenzie, and Grayson were coming to visit in 3 weeks. So, yeah, long story short, Maddy was stressed. She relived her stress by racing.

Maddy and Dustin were racing, and they were neck in neck. Maddy, who was dressed in a purple riding suit, would lead, then Dustin, dressed in his signature yellow, would fly past her.

"Yeah Dustin!" Kelly cheered as Dustin took the lead once more. Maddy snatched the lead back, and just as they were coming over the hill, to mysterious riders in crimson and navy flew onto the scene, startling the 2 Ninjas.

Huh? Maddy asked herself, as she tried desperately to catch up. Her hands were in a death grip on the handlebars. The two new riders flew ahead to place 1st. and Maddy and Dustin tied for second. They took their bikes over to Kelly.

"Do you remember those guys?" Maddy asked Kelly. Maddy hadn't taken her matching purple helmet off yet, and her voice was muffled.

"They ride like factory pros, I would have remembered."

"Dude, I'm just happy they don't ride 125's, we'd be screwed." Dustin pointed out. Maddy rolled her eyes.

"Way to keep up the confidence, Dustin." Maddy said sarcastically. They, they being Maddy and Dustin, headed over to the Crimson and Navy riders. Dustin spoke first.

"Hey man, how's it going?" Dustin asked politely.

"Track's a little soggy." The tall blonde crimson rider said, glancing at the track.

"Didn't seem to slow you guys down. You guys are really fast." Maddy pointed out, and smiled at them.

"Yeah, so, it's nice to meet you. I'm Blake, this is my brother Hunter." The shorter rider with the dark hair, Blake, Maddy thought, explained.

"Hey." Hunter said, with a flick of his hand. He studied Maddy.

"You guys are brothers?" Dustin asked incredulously. Maddy mentally face palmed. She noticed that she face palmed, real or mentally, a lot when Dustin or Shane was around.

"Adopted." Maddy and Hunter said at the same time. They looked at each other, and Maddy felt herself, mainly her face, turning the same color red as Shane's suit..

'How'd you know, bro?" Hunter asked. Maddy was started. Did her seriously think she was a dude. Then she realized something. She still had her helmet on.

"Uh, sorry, I'm more of a dudette." Maddy said shyly, and she removed her helmet, and her curls fell down around her shoulders. Hunter's eyes popped a little. He obviously hadn't expected a girl rider.

"Oh, my bad. I didn't know you were a girl." Hunter said, embarassed, as Maddy said "Sorry, I forgot to take my helmet off." Maddy giggled nervously, and stared at the ground. She breathed a sigh of relief when Dustin broke the awkward silence.

"Alright, oh, cool. Well, my name's Dustin." Dustin said, as he introduced himself.

"Hi, I'm Maddy." Maddy said, as she kept her eyes on the ground. She could feel Hunter watching her.

"I haven't seen you before, so where's the home track?" Dustin asked curiously.

"Oh, we come down from-" Blake started to say, but he got cut off by his brother.

"You wouldn't have heard of it." Hunter said, rather rudely. Maddy raised an eyebrow. Maybe they're in the Witness Protection Program. She thought, mentally smirking.

"Easy, bro. And he wonders why he has no friends. Hey, listen guys; you were pretty fast out there." Blake complemented them. Maddy smiled. Hunter and Blake seemed nice, not all tweaked about the fact she was a girl, like some of the other riders.

"Thanks." Maddy said, smiling sweetly at them. Shane and Dustin may think that she and Tori were "guy-girls" but Maddy wasn't an idiot, she knew how to turn on the charm.

"Aw, no man, I must have been losing a couple seconds a lap to you guys." Dustin protested, although inside he enjoyed the complement.

"You get too much air in your jumps, slows you down." Hunter pointed out, as he crossed his arms. Blake shrugged.

"He's right. Dark and brooding, but right. So, do you want to follow us?" Blake asked.

"Sorry, man, can we take a rain check?" Dustin asked.

"We have somewhere we've got to be." Maddy explained.

"No worries, guys. We'll catch you later." Blake said. Maddy and Dustin took off. Blake and Hunter watched them go. Maddy turned back, and waved good-bye, and then she resumed running towards her bike.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

"Tori?! Shane?! Aww, man, don't tell me I missed training again." Dustin muttered to himself as he called for his friends.

"C'mon, guys! Olly, Olly, Oxenfree!" Maddy shouted into the seemingly empty woods. Suddenly, a large group of Kelzaks appeared.

"Awww, man! I didn't send the Olly, Olly, Oxenfree for you guys!" Maddy exclaimed as they began their fight with the foot soldiers. The two Ninja's didn't get a chance to morph, and Shane, on his Tsunami Cycle when he destroyed the Kelzaks with his laser, saved them.

"Yeah, this is awesome!" Shane exclaimed as he flew past his two friends, on his bike.

"No way." Maddy breathed in excitement. She stared in awe at the bike her friend was driving.

"Coming through." Tori exclaimed, as she took out more Kelzaks with the lasers.

"Oh dude!" Dustin exclaimed, as they watched their friend. Cam suddenly appeared beside them.

"I told them not to engage the enemy until the bikes were ready. But who listens to the guys with glasses?" Cam told the two awestruck teens. Maddy nodded, vaguely hearing Cam.

"Cam, these are great!" Tori exclaimed as she made her bike jump over the 3 teens on the ground.

"Man, I thought these things were months off being ready!" Dustin said, still awestruck by the bikes. Maddy was speechless.  
"So did I." Cam affirmed. They watched Tori and Shane ride, when Dustin finally asked the question in both he and Maddy minds.

"So, where's mine?" Dustin asked excitedly.

"What do you mean?" Cam asked. He looked genuinely confused.

"Don't mess with me, man!" Dustin said.

"Seriously, I don't know what you're talking about." Cam looked dead serious, and Maddy's heart dropped.

"Pretty please tell me you're kidding!" Maddy pleaded with Cam. Maddy did what she called 'Bambi eyes'. If you reject her while she has that look, you'll feel like you just kicked Bambi. Cam sighed, acting annoyed, but Maddy knew he had totally been messing with them.

"Oh, all right." Cam said, and he aimed a remote control at the road. A semi pulled into view, with the Wind Ninja Logo on it.

"Meet your new mobile command center. Check this out." Cam pressed a button, and the trailer opened, and two bikes wheeled out on their own. One was a yellow and gold Lightning bolt, with the other being a purple and gold lightning bolt.

"Oh dude." Dustin breathed, staring in awe at the bike. Maddy was speechless She couldn't have imagined this in her wildest dream.

"Well put, Dustin." Cam said as he watched the two teens reactions.

"Anything I should know?" Dustin asked, as he stared at his bike lovingly.

"Well-" Cam began, but Dustin had already took off running towards the bike.

"Why bother?" Cam finished. Maddy took off after Dustin. As they neared their bikes, Dustin leapt up, and somersaulted through they air, morphing as he went, landed on his bike, and took off. Maddy sighed.

"Y'know, someone should really teach me that!" Maddy exclaimed. Cam heard her comment and laughed. She fell into position.

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form, HA!" Maddy said as she morphed. "Power of Lighting!" She yelled, and she waved bye to Cam as she hopped on her bike and took off.

"Yeah, baby, oh yeah! That's what I'm talking about." Maddy shouted. She caught up to Dustin, and they yelled, "Guys, wait up!"

"Dustin, Maddy, you made it!" Shane exclaimed, as Dustin pulled up alongside him and Maddy pulled alongside Tori.

"Yeah, these things are awesome!" Dustin shouted over the wind so his friends could hear him.  
"Look, the freaks are back!" Maddy called, and she turned on her lasers and started shooting. Unsurprisingly, they were purple. Maddy made a mental note to tell Cam thanks.

"Not a problem." Shane said confidently, as Dustin, Tori, and him began firing.

"Ohhhh, love the lasers!" Dustin said to himself as he took out swaths of Kelzaks.

"Ha!" Tori laughed as she slammed into Kelzaks.

"Stops on a dime! Or a Kelzak!" Maddy laughed as she pulled her bike to a halt. Dustin was flying through mid-air as a Kelzak tried to slice him and his bike. Dustin slammed the Kelzak with his food and shouted, "No one messes with my bike! 250's here I come!"

"Wow, this is fun!" Tori exclaimed happily, as they all pulled their bikes to a halt. Maddy smirked.

"Do you get why we do this for fun now?" Maddy asked her surfer friend. Shane flexed his arms.

"I'm just getting warmed up." Shane declared, ready to ride again.

"Bummer there's Kelzaks." Dustin pointed out as they all took off on their bikes once more.

"Not for long!" Shane argued as they finished off the Kelzaks, and returned to mobile command. The teens high-fived each other as they dismounted.

"Woohoo, that was awesome!" Dustin exclaimed. Maddy was grinning as well.

"Ninja Storm!" They all said together as they demorphed. Cam approached them.

"Hey guys." Cam said, as he approached the jubilant teens.

"Yo man." Dustin said happily.

"Thanks for the awesome bikes, Cam!" Maddy exclaimed as she put her hand on her bike, staring at it lovingly.

"That was awesome, man!" Shane said excitedly.

"Shane, you're lucky. They still need some fine-tuning. Dustin, since you're the bike expert, would you check the altitude specks on these? And don't try to play video games on it, or do something, well, you would do." Cam explained to the Yellow Ranger. Maddy giggled. Dustin probably would try t play video games on it if Cam hadn't told him not to.

"Dude, I'm not a complete doofus." Dustin defended himself. Cam rolled his eyes.

"Bro, you asked if there were any games on your morpher." Maddy said, laughing. "That wasn't exactly a moment of shining glory to your intelligence." She joked.

"Here's your chance to prove it, Dustin." Cam said, as he headed back up to the truck.

"Hey, where were you today?" Shane asked Maddy and Dustin.

"Oh, we were at the track, and these two guys came, they were crazy fast, man, and I'm hooking up with them later!" Dustin said excitedly. Maddy stared at the ground.

"I'm really sorry, Shane. I just lost track of time." Maddy said, biting her lip. She really did feel bad. I

"Just, remember what's important here, ok?" Shane cautioned his friends. Dustin nodded.

"Yeah man." Dustin said, happy-go-lucky. The usually chipper Maddy nodded solemnly. She was really mad at herself. She was saving the world. Missing training that could have saved her life sometime in the future. She really needed to get a watch.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Later that day, at Ninja Ops, Cam was monitoring the area for any attacks.

"There's some kind of subterranean disturbance. This is not good. " Cam informed Maddy, Shane, and Tori. Dustin was absent, probably at the track. Maddy presumed.

Suddenly, Ninja Ops began to shake. Scrolls rolled off their shelves, and stuff wobbled around, and the teens were no exception.

"Cam! What's happening?" Maddy asked anxiously, as she ended up on her butt from the shaking. Just as suddenly as it had started, the quaking and shaking stopped. Shane pulled Maddy to her feet.

"Seismographs are picking up some serious activity." Cam explained, typing furiously at his computer.

"Seismographs, aren't those used to measure earthquakes? So was it an earthquake?" Maddy asked. Before Cam could answer, a monster appeared.

"There's your reason." Shane said, looking at the ugly creature on screen before them.

"That's one massive mole." Tori stated.

"Not to mention one UGLY mole." Maddy added, watching the screen. Dustin hurried in, breathless.

"Sorry, guys, got hung up at the track." He explained. Maddy raised her eyebrow, and shared a glance with Tori and Shane, but Shane just shrugged.

"Better late than never." Shane told the Earth Ninja, who visibly relaxed.

"He's at the quarry!" Cam announced. The Ninjas shared a glance, and fell into formation.

"Ready?" Shane asked his teammates.

"Ready!" Maddy, Tori, and Dustin exclaimed in unison.

"Ninja Storm, ranger form, HA!" They

"Power of earth!" Dustin called.  
"Air!" Shane yelled.

"Water!" Tori cried.

"Lightning!" Maddy shouted. The ran out of Ninja ops, and Ninja Streaked away.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

"Well, just another day destroying the city! Ow!" The monster squealed as Maddy shot him with her Lightning Bow.

"Hey molehead!" Tori shouted to the mole.

"We don't dig what you've been up to!" Shane called.

"Well, I'm guessing by the Spandex that you're here to stop me!" The monster snarled. Maddy smirked.

"Got that right, ugly! Power of the Spandex!" Maddy laughed. Tori rolled her eyes at her younger friend's antics. The mole took advantage of their distraction and dove underground.

"Where'd he go?" Shane asked urgently. Maddy started getting a feeling that this could go very badly.

"Wanna take a wild guess?" Tori asked as they all saw dirt flying up.

"I got this! Ninja Dirt Dive!" Dustin exclaimed, and he teleported underground.

"Dustin be careful!" Tori warned her Earth Ninja friend. They watched the two flying dirt piles go head on at each other. Dustin got knocked out of the ground, and he slammed onto the ground. The other rangers ran over to their friend. Maddy knelt down and touched his shoulder.

"Dustin, are you alright?" She asked, fearing the worst.

"That was down and dirty!" Dustin choked out, as Maddy pulled him to his feet.

"Terramole in the house! Watch and learn, rangers! I'm gonna trash your city from the inside out!" Terramole bragged, and he went underground and disappeared.

"He's gone!" Shane said angrily, and he slammed his fist into the dirt.

"He'll be back." Tori assured her friend, and Maddy nodded in agreement.

"They always come back." Maddy added.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy returned home, seeing as she had nothing else to do until 4 o'clock, when she was meeting the others at Storm Chargers. She called hello to Nani, but received no answer. When she entered the kitchen, a note was taped to the fridge. It read: Maddy, I went to West Bay to go grocery shopping. I'll be back around four-thirty. There's food in the fridge. I'll see you when I get home. ~Nani. Great. Maddy thought. She was home alone, perfect time to train with the sword.

Maddy chucked her bag into her room, and opened the door leading to the steps. It was kinda creepy, until you turned on the light. It had been built into an amazing training area. The wooden swords were in a stand to the right of the doorway, and the training dummies were to the left. There was a closet with stocked anything else someone could need while training, and the floor was covered with special mats, like the kind used in wrestling rooms.

The final item was the large Shiba Crest that had been painted onto the back wall. Shiba. Maddy remembered the name. It was the last name of the Red Ranger, Jayden. She had met Jayden at her mother's funeral. Jayden, and a man named Ji, who was to be her Mentor. They, along with the rest of the former team were there, to pay respects to their teammate. Not only had she met and talked to Jayden, she had also talked to a girl named Serena. Serena was to be the Yellow Ranger. Maddy recalled. Jayden, Serena, and her were going to be the eldest on the team, because they were all the same age. They had both been nice, but Jayden was really serious. Maddy shook the thought off, and dragged a dummy out, and selected a sword. She set an alarm to go off at 3:30, and Maddy began her training.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Later that day, the rangers were all hanging out at Storm Chargers. Shane, Maddy, and Tori approached Dustin, who was standing at the motocross display, talking animatedly with Blake and Hunter. Tori tapped him on the shoulder, and Dustin turned. When he saw his friends standing there, he grinned.

"Hey, you guys can finally meet. Hunter, Blake, this is Shane and Tori, and you've already met Maddy. Tori, Shane, this is Hunter and Blake." Dustin said as he made introductions. Shane and Hunter shake hands, while Blake studies Tori.

"Hey how's it going?" Blake asked the teens.

"Dustin's told us a lot about you guys." Hunter added, as he moved his gaze to Maddy, who blushed and looked at the floor.

"But not everything. " Blake said, as he looked at Tori, who also blushed, and smiled.

"Hey, uh, Dustin, you got a minute?" Shane asked. When Dustin nodded, Shane pulled him away from the girls and the Bradley's.

"So, Tori, do you do any sports?" Blake asked the Water Ninja.

"Oh, yeah, I surf." Tori told him, smiling sweetly. They got into a conversation, and Hunter turned his full attention to Maddy.

"Maddy, do you do any sports besides motocross? I mean, motocross is great, but I didn't see you there this afternoon." Hunter asked.

"Yeah, I do gymnastics, dance, well, I used to, roller-blading, surfing, motocross, basically I'll try anything once, and I'm usually pretty busy." Maddy said, as she smiled at him, which caused her dimple to appear. Before they could continue, Dustin reappeared.

"Hey Tori, Maddy, I got to go. Later guys!" Dustin called over his shoulder.

"Later, Tori.' Blake called after the Water Ninja, who turned and smiled.

"Later." She said over her shoulder as she left.

"Bye Maddy." Hunter said. Maddy stopped, and turned. She gave him a little finger wave and said "Bye!" cheerfully, as she left as well. Shane followed, but he stopped and turned back. "Later, oh wait, I forgot-" Shane began, as he turned and overheard the Bradley brother's conversation.

"Man, that Tori is FINE. Question is, why does she hang with a goof like Dustin?" Blake asked his brother.

"I don't know, maybe she likes doing charity work." Hunter replied, and they laughed. Shane left, ears burning from the conversation he had overheard.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

"-98, 99, 100. Maybe now you will understand the importance of punctuality." Sensei said to the exhausted Dustin, who was laying on the table after doing 100 push ups.

"Annndddd, you'll have really nice pecks." Tori added. Maddy smirked.

"No kidding." Maddy said. Shane entered looking like he had just lost his best friend.

"Hey, uh, Dustin, can I talk to you for a sec?" Shane asked nervously. Maddy got a feeling something big was about to happen. She sat up straighter, and bit her lip. She really hoped she was wrong.

"Dude, I said I was sorry about-" Dustin began, surprised his friend was still angry.

"How well do you actually know Blake and Hunter? I mean, they come out of nowhere and suddenly they're your best friends." Shane asked his yellow and black clad friend.

"Dude, it's a motocross thing. Ok, you've got these skater buds that are total posers, and we don't say a word." Dustin pointed out, as he turned to leave.

"Yeah well, at lest I know what's important here. Ever since you've been hanging out with these dudes, your priorities have been totally messed." Shane accused Dustin. Maddy face-palmed. Why did Shane have to sound so accusing? Now there's gonna be a huge fight. Maddy thought. Sure enough, the Yellow Ranger had turned, anger flashing in his eyes.

"Dude, that's crazy, man. C'mon, back me up here tori. C'mon, man!" Tori looked at the ground. "Maddy? Maddy, come on!" Dustin exclaimed as she too looked to the ground. "Look, I know I've been a little spacy lately, but-" Shane cut off Dustin's excuse.

"This isn't chess club we're talking about! This is the end of the world here! Do you even get that?" Shane asked harshly. Dustin was stung. Maddy could see it in his eyes.

"Sensei, a little help here?" Dustin asked as a last-ditch effort.

"You can only help yourself, Dustin, through your actions, not your words." Sensei said calmly.

"You know what?! I can't believe this! I'm going riding!" Dustin snapped, and he stormed out of Ninja Ops.

"Maybe I should go after him." Maddy said, starting to rise from the purple cusion she sat on.

"No, Madison. Dustin must learn his lesson." Sensei instructed. Maddy sank back to the ground.

"Yes Sensei." Maddy replied softly. The room was dead silent.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

About a half hour later, Cam finally broke the silence.

"Terramole is back. He's at the quarry!" Cam exclaimed, and the three remaining rangers leapt up. They fell into position, which looked odd, because Dustin was missing.

"Ready?" Shane asked his two teammates.

"Ready!" Maddy and Tori exclaimed in unison.

"Ninja Storm, ranger form, HA!" They cried together.

"Power of air!" Shane called, as he stood in the clouds. The glowing air symbol was red behind him.

"Water!" Tori cried, as the waves flowed and moved below her. The water symbol was illuminated in blue behind her.

"Lightning!" Maddy shouted, and the bolts of lightning cut jagged lines in the sky, and thunder boomed. The lightning symbol was in purple, the exact purple of her Ranger suit.

"Let's go." Maddy said, and for the second time that day, they raced out of Ninja Ops, and Ninja Streaked away.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

"Where is he?" Shane asked, as he looked around the seemingly deserted quarry.

"Found him!" Tori exclaimed as she saw a dust trail heading for them. "Shane!" Tori shrieked as she was yanked under. Maddy gasped.  
"Tori! Let her go!" Shane shouted at Terramole.

"Maddy!" Tori cried as she resurfaced. Maddy ran over and tried to pull Tori out of the hole. Shane was grabbed by Terramole next.

"Hey!" Shane shouted as Terramole dragged him under.

"No, Shane!" Maddy shrieked. She was all alone. "Ah, where's Dustin when you need him?!" Maddy said, and suddenly Terramole resurfaced. He laughed, and threw Shane and Tori at Maddy, resulting in a Ranger Dog Pile.

"That airhead? His Ranger Days are over!" Terramole sneered.

"Hey! We're the only ones allowed to call him an airhead." Maddy exclaimed angrily. Terramole laughed evilly, and shot lasers at the teens. They were knocked to the ground. Dustin suddenly appeared, and TerraMole took refuge underground.

"Lion hammer time!" Dustin exclaimed, and he slammed his hammer to the ground, causing Terramole to pop up.

"Pop goes the mole!" Maddy sang, and laughed. They high-fived Dustin for his ingenuity.

"Let's put em' together!" Dustin exclaimed. Maddy nodded.

"With ya all the way, bro!" Shane agreed.

"Hawk blaster!" Shane yelled, as his Hawk Blaster appeared.  
"Sonic fin!" Tori cried, as her signature weapon came into her hands.

"Lightning bow!" Maddy called as she summoned her weapon.

"Take this!" Dustin laughed, as a huge weight appeared. "100 tons of fun!" he added, as the weight dropped and squished Terramole.

"Anyone up for Terramole pancakes?" Maddy asked, laughing with the other rangers.

"Guess who's back!" Terramole announced as he grew mega sized.  
"Cam, You know the drill!" Dustin announced to their friend back at Ninja Ops.

"Ninja Zords! Ninja Zord formation!" Dustin ordered. The zords all combined into the Megazord.

"Storm Megazord!" The teens shouted together.  
"Time to lay some groundwork!" Terramole sneered, as he slammed the Megazord to the ground.

"He's too fast!" Tori complained, as the Megazord was pulled underground once more.

"Not for long. Lightning Megazord, ENGAGE!" Dustin ordered, and the Megazord slimmed up. Maddy pumped her fist in the air.

"YES! I love Lightning mode!" Maddy cheered. They kicked Terramole's butt, but he caught them and yanked them under.

"Again with the digging thing!" Shane complained as they were able to get above ground.

"he's a mole, Shane, it's what they do." Cam said dryly. Maddy could imagine his expression. "Power down from Lightning mode, and I'll send something that can help. Downloading Power Sphere 4." Cam added.

"Alright! Got it! Power disk, locked and dropped!" Dustin called. The sphere appeared, and a hammer appeared.

"Ram hammer!" They all called together.

"Time for me to hit the dirt!" Terramole said nervously.

Dustin-Think again, chump! HAMMER TIME!"

"Can't touch this, danananana, dana, dana, Can't touch this," Maddy sang. She knew the other rangers were staring at her. "MC Hammer, Can't Touch This. Aww, I'll just show it to you later." Maddy told her friends. After another hammer slam, Terramole was history. They were all cheering.

"Welcome back, lady and Gentlemen, to the Ranger Update. The current score is 4 to the favor of the Rangers, 0 in favor of Lothor." Maddy announced, imitating the voice of a golf announcer. Maddy heard her teammates laughter, which made her smile.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

"C'mon Dustin!" Tori cheered, as her friend drove his bike around the track. As he flew by, he sprayed Maddy, Tori, and Shane with dirt. He flew across the finish line.

"Thanks for the shower," Tori said with a smirk as Dustin took his helmet off.

"Sorry. Did I look faster to you guys?" Dustin asked, nervously awaiting their answer.

"Bro, you were rippin! Shane assured his friend. "So where's Hunter and Blake?" Shane added. Maddy wanted to smack Shane. It probably would have been better if he hadn't mentioned the Bradleys.

"I don't know, they probably had better things to do than hang out with a goof like me, huh?" Dustin said, sadly.

"Dustin, some of the stuff before, I didn't mean it." Shane told his friend.

"Yeah, I know." Dustin said.

"Dustin, you're a great ranger" Tori assured him.

"A flake, but a great ranger." Maddy said with a smile.

"Thanks guys. Now, if we're gonna ride these Tsunami cycles, you need some practice, so gear up!" Dustin ordered, as Maddy grabbed her helmet, and Shane and Tori chose bikes. The teens were laughing and talking. They had no idea they were being watched. No idea at all.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

**Copyrighted by ME!**

**Author's Note Continued-**

Well, there you go. Sorry if you're disappointed that I had only one solo scene with Maddy, but I just ended up with the last line being a perfect stopping point. Hope you enjoyed, and please review! :-)


	5. Chapter 5: Thunder Strangers, Part 1

Hello! I am back, sorry for the wait; it's just been insane lately. I had the end of the quarter at school, and I had several tests. 2nd Quarter just began, so I'll be able to update every once or twice a week. Another thing I've been busy with is that I'm going to skip the episodes Nowhere to Grow, and Snip it Good. Instead, I will be free styling one episode, with the other being an idea given to me by DJScales, so I've been working on those, because I can't wait to get to Return of Thunder. ;) Here's more Maddy. :)

**DISCLAIMER!-I own nothing except my Maddy, my OC's, and anything unrecognizable. Everything else belongs to Saban Entertainment.**

Maddy was riding down the highway in her mom's charcoal-gray Trailblazer, chattering excitedly with her mom about the competition that Maddy had just taken 1st place in the solo division. She clutched her trophy, and still wore her crown and sash, along with her pretty purple costume. Suddenly, a truck crossed the centerline and slammed into their vehicle. Maddy screamed, and the next moments were blinding light, crunching glass, and tearing metal. Maddy screamed again, as a piece of glass cut her forehead.

"Mom-" Maddy cried weakly, as her world spun around her and sirens began to echo in the distance. Maddy awoke with a gasp, to find herself in her bedroom, tangled up in her purple sheets.

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. Maddy's alarm clock beeped insistently. Maddy sighed. She got up, and turned off her alarm clock. She glanced at the calendar. 3 years, exactly today. Maddy climbed back into her bed, and hugged her knees to her chest, remembering the day. Maddy had awoke after the accident in the hospital, with a needle in her arm, stiches in her forehead, and a cast on her foot. Maddy remembered the accident and the rest of the day in freeze frames. She could recall every detail, every person she saw, everything. The following days leading to the funeral were blurry. Tears pricked her eyes, and Maddy really didn't want to go anywhere, or do anything, but she had to train at Ops today. She didn't want people to try and cheer her up, and she hadn't said anything about the day to her friends. Maddy sighed, and climbed out of bed once more. Before she headed to take her shower, Maddy looked at herself in the mirror, and traced the thin, barely noticeable white scar above her right eye. Her everlasting reminder of the day.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Later that day, Maddy was at Ninja Ops. She had managed to get out of the house that morning without seeing Nani. Maddy loved her grandma, but knew she would say something about the day, and Maddy didn't want to even mention it. Maddy had yet to say a word. Other than a greeting to her friends, she had been totally silent. Shane and Dustin had been sort of curious, but they were smart enough to know when Maddy was in a 'mood' not to ask questions. They were entertaining themselves, anyway.

"Unbelievable!" Shane breathed in amazement. Maddy raised an eyebrow. She couldn't see the screen of the laptop the boys were on, and she wondered what was keeping them so entertained. She wandered over, and saw what was keeping the boys so entertained.  
"Dude, that's so sick it's just wrong." Dustin whispered reverently. He stared at the screen. Maddy cracked a small smile.

"True that, bro. Those are some beautiful bikes, right there." Maddy agreed quietly. Any other day, she'd be excited, but, today just wasn't her day.

"Just check out the lines on that thing! It's just amazing." Shane exclaimed excitedly.

"You better not be doing anything illegal!" Cam said curtly as he entered Ninja Ops.

"Busted." Maddy muttered.

"Uhh, nonono" Shane started to protest, as Cam marched over to the computer and the embarrassed ninjas.

"Dude-" Dustin began, but Cam cut him off as he turned the screen so it was facing him.

"Let me see that. The tsunami cycles?" He asked, raising an eyebrow, as he studied the teens in front of him.

"Aww, yeah man!" Shane said excitedly, forgetting his embarrassment.

"Totally!" Dustin exclaimed, as he slapped high-fives with Shane. Maddy just sat staring at the ground.

"Shouldn't you be doing schoolwork, or annoying your parents?" Cam asked in annoyance. Maddy stood up.

"Kinda sucks that I have no parents to annoy." Maddy snapped, and she stormed out of Ninja Ops. The boys were left standing/sitting there in shock as they heard her storm up the stairs and leave.

"What did I say?" Cam asked aloud, trying to figure out what just happened. Dustin and Shane looked at each other, unsure of how to respond. Shane finally spoke.

"I think you should ask Maddy why, later. I think it might be her story to tell." Shane said quietly. And then the computer moved their attention away from the Lightning Ranger.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy left the academy grounds, and ended up outside the waterfall she had admired on her first day. She didn't want to have to talk to Shane or Dustin or Cam, or even Tori at the moment, so she looked for a place she could hide out in. Maddy spotted the perfect place, where a bush grew up along the rock wall, but there was a small space where someone could sit. She brushed some branches aside, and sat down. Perfect. She opened her bag, and she took out her sketchbook, pencil, and camera. Maddy snapped several pictures, and even sketched a little, but her heart wasn't in it. Her feelings and her thoughts were too jumbled up, and she couldn't focus on anything. She sighed again, and slid off her shoes. Her little seat was close enough to the water that she could stick her feet in. The water was nice, and Maddy's mind began to wander, tuning out the world around her.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Several hours later, Tori, Shane, and Dustin were at the skate park. Dustin was explaining to Tori what had happened earlier.

"Yeah, so when Cam said, Shouldn't you be doing schoolwork or annoying your parents, Maddy just, like, exploded, and then she left. It didn't make any sense." Dustin explained. Tori and Dustin watched Shane roll over to them on his skateboard.

"Yeah, it was totally weird, man." Shane agreed. Tori nodded.

"Sounds like it." Tori said, and then they all heard the unmistakable smack of flip-flops on pavement. They watched as Maddy approached. She was still out of hearing range, but Tori changed the subject, just to be safe.

"So, did you find your backpack, Dustin?" Tori asked. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Maddy draw closer. Maddy had changed out of her Ninja garb, and was wearing purple and white shorts, and a purple tank top, along with her purple and blue flip-flops. Tori also noticed she had ice cream. Maddy only ate ice cream when she was happy, or upset. That could be a good sign, or a bad sign.

"Yeah, any luck?" Shane added. He too was watching his friend warily.

"Nope." Dustin said, frowning.

"Well, think. Where else have you been?" Tori asked her stressed Earth Ninja friend.

"Whatcha lookin for?" Maddy asked, as she joined them. She licked her chocolate-vanilla twist ice cream as it threatened to drip down the side of her hand.

"He lost his backpack, and Cam's computer crashed, and Dustin had the back-up disk in his bag." Tori supplied.

"The track. The track, that's it!" Dustin exclaimed excitedly, but before he could take off, the teen's morphers all beeped. Shane looked around before bringing his morpher to his lips.

"Go for Shane." Shane replied.

"I'm getting a strange heat signature reading from the quarry." Cam said, his voice slightly distorted.

"Kelzaks?" Shane asked. Maddy smirked. She was in a perfect mood to kick some butt.

"I'm not sure what it is. You better ranger up, just to be safe." Cam instructed them.

"Not a problem. Ready?" Shane asked his friends, as they fell into formation once more.

"No. Where can I put my ice cream?!" Maddy asked. The teens looked at one another and shrugged.

"Throw is away, I guess." Shane said impatiently. Maddy held up a finger to say just a sec. She took a huge bite, and with ice cream running down her chin, she nodded vigorously.

"Ready." Tori replied with a slight laugh, as she looked at her friend, and the ice cream everywhere.

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form, HA! Wind Ranger Power!" They called together as they morphed. They went into Ninja Streak and headed to the quarry, ready to kick butt, take names, and well, blow things up while wearing Spandex.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

"What is this?" Shane asked, as they arrived in the quarry, to find, well, nothing.

"It's nothing, that's what." Maddy replied snappishly. She had been in a mood for a fight, and to kick alien butt.

"Cam, what is this? It's downtown deadsville down here." Tori asked the tech genius.

"I don't know, I mean, I got the readings from the Air Force satellite. It's usually dead-on." Cam replied. They could hear him typing away at his computer.

"Whoa whoa whoa, back up the Panther Zord. You hacked the AIR FORCE?!" Maddy asked in shock. Her question went unanswered. An explosion suddenly slammed the wind rangers to the ground.

"Note to self, never, ever doubt Cam!" Shane groaned as he got back to his feet. Maddy, Tori and Dustin got to their feet as well. Maddy gasped at what stood before them. Crimson and Navy rangers.

"Old Rangers out, new Rangers in." The crimson ranger said cockily.

"What, you expect us to fight you?!" Dustin exclaimed, horrified. This was not happening. He told himself.

"I wanted a fight, but seriously? This?! I don't want to fight real people!" Maddy protested anxiously.

"Hey, is that her?" The Navy Ranger asked the Crimson.

"Yeah, I think so, but time will tell." The Crimson replied, staring at Maddy. The rouge Rangers charged, and slammed the wind rangers to the ground.

"Doesn't seem like they wanna talk." Tori pointed out as she picked herself up off the ground. Her teammates followed her lead.

"I vote for kicking their wannabe butts!" Maddy exclaimed, her bright blue eyes flashing angrily under her helmet.

"I hear ya!" Dustin agreed. They began their attack again.

"Didn't anyone teach you to play nice?!" Shane asked incredulously as he ran in the air at the Navy Ranger, who also happened to be the smaller of the 2.

"We don't do nice." The Navy Ranger snarled, as he jumped into the air, and slammed Shane into the cliff wall.

"That was brutal!" Shane groaned.

"My turn! Lighting bolt attack!" Maddy shrieked, and lightning struck the ground all around them, narrowly missing the Navy Ranger, who leapt away just in time.

"Bro! She's the one!" The Navy called out to the Crimson, who was making quick work of Tori and Dustin.

"Perfect. We'll get her when the time comes. No worries." Crimson replied nonchalantly, as he slammed the Water and Earth Ninjas to the ground.

"Guys!" Shane called to his friends. Maddy was still locked in combat with the Navy warrior. She was knocked to the ground as well, but managed to kick his feet out from under him. As Navy fell, he managed to kick Maddy's helmet, slamming her head to the ground, hard enough to make a dull, but resounding thud.

"Dustin!" Tori shrieked. Maddy's mind was reeling. Why was Tori yelling? What were they doing? And why does my head hurt? Maddy wondered. She looked up, and saw a dude in Navy Spandex about to kick her, but another dude in red spandex tackled him. Maddy looked down at her own hands. Purple. Oh, wait, oh yeah, she remembered now! She got up, wobbled a little, startled at the pain in her forehead, but attacked the Crimson ranger, who knocked her aside as if she was a leaf. Maddy struggled back to her feet, only to be slammed flat on her back once more. Maddy fell back onto Tori and Dustin.  
"Hang on!" Shane shouted to his friends. He managed to knock aside the Navy Ranger, and headed for the Crimson. Maddy wanted to tell him to run the other direction.

"What for?" Navy laughed. Maddy wanted to punch him in the face. These fakers were really getting on her nerves. Shane was knocked aside by Crimson, and was only able to watch as the Rouge Rangers stood next to each other.

"Thunderstaff, megapower!" The Rouges exclaimed, and their small wooden sticks turned into staffs. Maddy frowned under her helmet.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Maddy muttered, as she looked at the red and black staffs.

"They have sticks?!" Shane exclaimed incredulously.

"Really BIG sticks." Tori added. Maddy frowned.

"I have a feeling they might be more than just sticks." Maddy pointed out.

"Anybody got a suggestion?" Dustin asked nervously as he eyed the rangers and their sticks.

"Uhh, I don't know, light the sticks on fire?" Maddy suggested. She knew Shane was giving her the Eye. The 'now is not the appropriate time for jokes' look.

"You want an idea? How bout give up?" Crimson asked sarcastically.

"Trust us, it will be much less painful that way." Navy added. Maddy once more had the urge to punch him. Hard. Shane suddenly smacked his forehead and laughed. Maddy stared at him incredulously.

"Ohh, I get it, this is training thing!" Shane exclaimed cheerfully.

"Dude, are you crazy?!" Maddy exclaimed. No way. This was NOT a training deal.

"Cam, you totally got us." Tori laughed.

"Guys, I think this is for real." Dustin said nervously, eyeing the Rouges. Maddy nodded. At least one person on the team was still sane.

"Ready?" The Crimson said, turning to the navy. Maddy closed her eyes, preparing to meet her Maker.

"Yeah." The Navy replied, and they disappeared. Maddy, noticing that she was still alive opened one eye, than the other. She was alive.

"Where'd they go?!" Shane asked incredulously.

"Really far away, if we're lucky." Dustin pointed out, and Maddy nodded.

"If we're lucky. If you guys are headed back to Ninja Ops, I'll meet you there in a little bit." Maddy said, and proceeded to Ninja Streak away.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy arrived at home, and when she opened the door, she glanced at the clock, and then the calendar. Phew. She thought. Nani was at some meeting, according to the calendar. She would have a little extra time to figure out an excuse for he bruise Maddy was sure she had on her forehead. She tore up the stairs into her room. After searching around, Maddy found what she was looking for. The backup for Cam's computer. As soon as Cam had given Dustin a copy, Maddy had gotten the disk from Dustin and made a copy of it, knowing there was a good chance Dustin would lose it. Before Maddy left, she studied her forehead in the mirror. A purple bruise was already forming in a think line across her forehead, just above her eyebrows. Maddy sighed, but hey, at least it was her Ranger color. She thought. She pushed her bangs around until they mostly covered the bruise. Maddy flew down the stairs, and after making sure no one was watching, she Ninja Streaked away.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

As Maddy arrived in Ninja Ops, her friends were crowded around Sensei's little habitat, and they were all talking at once. Maddy approached Cam silently. He was working away at his computer. He groaned when whatever he had tried still didn't work.

"I'm guessing that you didn't get it back up?" Maddy asked quietly. Cam turned away from the computer.

"No, not yet." He replied carefully. He didn't want her to blow up again.

"Here. I had a feeling Dustin would lose the other disk eventually, so I copied it." Maddy said hurriedly, and handed the disk to Cam, then hurried over to her noisy friends. Cam stared incredulously at the disk in his hands.

"One at a time!" Sensei finally ordered, his nose twitching.

"Sensei, who were those guys?!" Shane asked incredulously.

"They fight in the style of the Thunder Ninja Academy. This is all I know for sure." Sensei said calmly.

"I thought all the other academies were captured." Dustin pointed out, rubbing his head. He was confused, as usual.

"Could Lothor have turned them against us, so he could fight fire with fire?" Tori asked nervously.

"Their fire comes from deep within. It is nothing Lothor could have instilled in them. They fight with passion." Sensei explained calmly.

"Look, I don't really care what their problem is, but those dudes almost smoked us!" Dustin exclaimed. Maddy frowned.

"True that, bro. We were toast, and they could have taken us out." Maddy added, frowning.

"Yeah, but they didn't. And I wanna know why." Shane pointed out.

"Sensei? I have a question. Why did they attack me, and say she's the one? I'm the what?" Maddy asked, twisting another errant lock of hair that had escaped her ponytail. Sensei did the twitchy-thing with his nose.

'Well, Madison, what the Thunder Ninjas were referring to are your powers. Lightning Ninjas hold a special power, able to do unimaginable things, if used for good. If they were to be used for evil, they could spell ruin for us all, which is why it is imperative that you learn to wield them correctly." Sensei explained. Maddy felt like someone had kicked her in the stomach. Her? Special? She had to be dreaming. No way was she some special Ninja who could do cool things. This was crazy. Officially craziest day ever. Her friends, including Cam, were staring at Maddy openmouthed. Dustin was the 1st to recover.

"Dang, bro, I did not see that coming." Dustin said, and he was promptly whacked on the arm by Tori. Maddy wasn't sure what to say. She opened her mouth, than closed it once more. She was at a total loss of words. Thankfully, the newly working Mainframe beeped, preventing any more questions. Cam hit a few buttons, and the quarry appeared on-screen.

"Seriously, the Quarry again? What is it, Monster-Con over there?!" Cam exclaimed, as he zoomed in on the monster.

"Zurgane. Ugly as ever." Shane observed.

"But doesn't he usually come with equipped an evil alien sidekick?" Tori pointed out, as she studied the screen for Zurgane's sidekick.

"Yeah, one uglier than him." Maddy added. She didn't see any hideous monsters other than Zurgane.

"It could be a trap. Use caution when engaging him." Sensei advised.

"We always do." Shane replied as they fell into position.

"Yeah right." Cam muttered, as he turned back to the main frame. The Wind Rangers chose to ignore the comment.

"Ready?" Shane asked his teammates.

"Ready." The others replied in unison.

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form, HA!" They called together.

"Power of Water" Tori called.

"Air!" Shane cried.

"Earth!" Dustin shouted.

"Lightning!" Maddy shrieked.

They morphed into their suits, and Ninja Streaked once more to the quarry.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

"What, did Lothor run out of good-looking monsters?" Shane taunted Zurgane as the Ninjas arrived.

Zurgane-Prepare to meet your destiny, Rangers! (Draws Swords)

"Why is it that all of you monster-rejects think you can beat us? Score's still 4-0, in favor of the Rangers." Maddy pointed out impishly. She was itching for a fight.

"Ninja Swords!" The teens shouted together.

"Bring it on!" Shane exclaimed, as he prepared for a fight,  
"You got it!" Zurgane snarled, as he drew his swords from his shoulders.

"Come at me, bro!" Maddy shrieked. The rangers charged Zurgane, who slammed them to the ground.

"Good idea, bad results!" Dustin said as he picked himself up off the ground.

"No kidding. Pride goes before a fall but I didn't think the saying was meant literally." Maddy pointed out as they got back on their feet for round two.

"I'm sick of rangers! Rangers, rangers, rangers, that's all I ever hear!" Zurgane complained, as he smashed the Rangers to the ground once more. As he was about to deliver the final blow, something reached down and grabbed him from space.

"See ya later, big guy." Shane commented as he stared up at the sky. Maddy stared up too.

"That was weird." Dustin stared up as well.

"True that." Maddy agreed. She was half expecting to be blown up from behind.

"What do they want from us?" Tori asked. Then she realized she knew the answer. She glanced at her friend. Before she could continue her thought, they were thrown into the air by an explosion.

"Oh my-, you guys again?! What gives?!" Maddy exclaimed angrily.

"Recognize these?" Crimson smirked, and two cycles appeared. Almost exact replicas of the Tsunami Cycles. Maddy gasped.

"Those are MY Tsunami cycles!" Cam exclaimed over the comlink angrily. The 4 teens took in the sight in front of them.

"What?" Tori asked in disbelief.

"No!" Dustin exclaimed angrily.

"No way." Shane whispered.

"This can't be happening." Maddy said, shocked.

"Same as yours, with a few improvements." The Navy ranger bragged.

"Ready to ride?" Crimson asked the Navy.

"Let's own these posers!" Navy said confidently. The Rouge Rangers leapt onto their bikes, and drove straight for the Wind Ninjas.

"NOOOOO!" The teens all screamed, as they were electrocuted. Maddy groaned.

"Ohmygosh, this is legit not my day!" Maddy snapped as she stood up.

"Ready for another lap?" The Crimson asked the Navy, who laughed.

"Let's do it!" He sneered. The four Ninja-teens were able to jump out of the way, and they landed safely, except for Dustin, who face planted.

"Ha-ha, nice faceplant!" Crimson laughed at Dustin. Tori and Shane shot beams of their element energy, while Maddy watched.

"I would very much appreciate if someone would show me how to do that!" Maddy pouted. Sadly, the lasers didn't even faze Crimson.

"Thunder energy blast!" Crimson shouted, and readied his own element beam.

"Fire!" Navy shouted, and the ball on energy slammed the rangers, who fell to the ground, suits sparking. They all groaned.

"Smell somethin' burnin?" Crimson sneered, as the Thunders dismounted their bikes.

"Anyone up for s'mores? We have them with Purple, Red, Yellow, and Blue marshmallows." Navy laughed. Maddy glared at him.

"How did they steal Cam's disk?" Dustin wondered aloud.

"This is so easy it's always boring." Crimson jeered. He laughed cruelly at the injured Ninjas.

"I thought they would be a challenge. They never could compare with the Thunder Academy." Navy agreed with a snort. Maddy was getting even angrier.

"Yeah, I thought their Sensei taught them better than that." Crimson sneered.

"Oh no you did not!" Maddy snapped, and she stood up, and drew her sword, and charged, ignoring her friends' voices calling to her to stop. She tackled Crimson to the ground, and drew her sword, and would have caused some damage, had Navy not pried her off. Shane, Tori and Dustin started charging, but Crimson knocked them backwards with a blast.

"Be careful!" Tori called anxiously to her friend. Maddy turned and slashed Navy across the chest. He fell back. Crimson grabbed Maddy, and yanked her arms behind her back.

"Let go of me, you idiot!" Maddy screeched, and she kicked at him. He merely laughed, and lifted her higher.

"If you say so." Crimson said with a smirk, and he threw her, as if she weighed nothing, towards her friends. She hit the ground with a dull thud.

"Are you ok?!" Tori asked her dazed friend, as Shane, Tori and Dustin gathered around the dazed Lightning Ninja. Maddy coughed.

"Yeah." She said weakly, although she really wasn't. Her body was on fire from ground impact, and her head spun. She sat up, as ascertained that nothing was broken, and pushed the pain aside.

"Let's finish this! Crimson thunder power!" The Crimson Ranger shouted, as he held some sort of device up to the sky.

"Navy Thunder Power! Sky of Wonder!" The Navy Ranger called, as he mimicked the other Ranger's actions, and held a device into the air.

"Power of Thunder! Crimson Insectizord!" Crimson shouted. Maddy rolled her eyes. Cool catchphrase, sucks that the bad guys have it. She thought. I need a cool catchphrase. Something with lightning… Maddy suddenly realized that she should probably pay attention, because she had just missed an entire chunk of talking. To her horror, Zords broke out of the mountainside.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Maddy shrieked, horrified.  
"They have Zords, too?!" Dustin exclaimed.

Shane-No way! Ok, you wanna be rough? Hit it, Cam!" Shane ordered. The Zords appear, and the Rangers jumped into their respective Zords. Maddy smiled as she appeared in the cockpit of her Zord. She loved her Zord.

"Let's show the boys who's who in the Zord zoo." Maddy said with a laugh. "Ha! Now, that was a good battle pun, dontcha think?" Maddy squealed. She had FINALLY come up with a good one.

"Bottom of the 9th, guys, let's make it count!" Tori said. The Zords squared off.

"I'm thinking, now!" Dustin said, as they charged the Thunders and their bug-Zords.

"Here they come. Defensive formation, engage!" Navy ordered, and the bugs went into formation.

"Let's bring the heat, people!" Dustin ordered.  
"Let's do it! Hawk Zord, flame attack!" Shane ordered, and the Hawk Zord glowed red, and orange, as it was cloaked with flames, and he attacked the bugs.

"Prepare to activate weaponry…activate! " Crimson activated his weapons, causing the flames to die away, and shot at Shane's Zord.

"I'm hit, I'm hit!" Shane shouted as the hawk Zord buckled and dipped in the air, as Shane tried to keep it airborne.

"Shane, no!" Tori called, as her friend almost hit the ground.

"My turn! Panther bite!" Maddy ordered. The Panther Zord leapt toward the Thunders, and latched on to Navy's zord with its teeth, electrocuting the Beetlezord. That worked fine, until the Crimson Insectizord managed to pry her off, and knock her away. Maddy groaned.

"Darn it, that almost worked!" Maddy exclaimed, and she smacked the armrest in frustration.

"Ahh! What's with the pliers?!" Dustin asked angrily as the Beetlezord held on to the Lion Zord with its pinchers.

"That's it, I'm bringing out the blow-dryer!" Dustin said as he activated the Tornado Mode on the Lion Zord. Right as Maddy was about to pounce on the Insectizord, it disappeared.

"Where is he?" Dustin asked incredulously.

"I can't find anything on my scanners! Whoa, he's got me!" Tori exclaimed as Navy picked her up, and spun her in the air.

(Blake grabs her)

"Hands off the fish!" Dustin snapped, as he tried to free Tori.

"Put me down, you stupid bug!" Tori yelled at the Navy clad idiot.

"Whoa!" Tori shrieked as she was dropped suddenly. "Uhh, thanks?" She said, not quite sure if she was happy about the way she had been dropped.

"Remember the scroll, guys!" Maddy exclaimed suddenly.

"Let's form the Megazord!" Shane declared.

"Megazord formation!" The teens shouted together, and the four Zords combined into one mean fighting machine.

"These guys are working my last good nerve!" Tori snapped angrily, as the Thunders made their own Megazord.

"Copy that, Sister T!" Dustin agreed. The Megazords fought, and knocked the Wind's Megazord to the ground.

"I would agree, but they already destroyed my last good nerve." Maddy snarled fiercely.

"You guys thinking what I'm thinking?" Dustin asked excitedly.

"Lightning Mode?" Maddy asked hopefully. Favorite mode ever! Maddy mentally exclaimed. The teens, other than Maddy, all rolled their eyes. Maddy fake-sighed. "I'll take that as a no." Maddy said dramatically.

"Serpent Sword, activate!" They called together.

"This should slow those guys down." Shane said confidently. They slammed the Thunders over and over with the Serpent Sword.

"It's not working!" Maddy cried. She pressed the buttons at her control panel frantically, hoping for a miracle button.

"They're too powerful!' Tori said anxiously.

"Whoa!" the teens shouted, as the Thunders flipped the Wind Megazord over, and slammed them to the ground.

"Where's the last minute save out butt device?! We're waiting!" Dustin said impatiently, drumming his fingers on the control panel.

"Give give give, that's all I ever do. Sending power sphere number 4." Cam said dryly, and they heard him typing at the keyboard.

"Yes!" Maddy squealed. "We're saved!" She said excitedly.

"Wait, where'd it go?!" Tori asked anxiously.

"What's going on?!" Dustin asked worriedly.

"I got a bad feeling about this." Shane groaned, and they heard the Thunders laughing.

"An interception by the Thunders at the goal line!" Crimson shouted with glee. "Oh no." Maddy breathed, as the Thunders activated their Power Sphere.

"He's at the 50, the 40, the 30!" The Thunders shouted together. They slammed the Wind Megazord with the weapon.

"Ahhhhhh!" The Wind Ninjas screamed.

"Noo!" Maddy shouted, as they Megazord tilted, then fell completely to the ground, sparking. The comms all fell dead silent.

"Ahhh. They're…down." Cam said in disbelief, from his vantage point at Ninja Ops.

"Now for a little touchdown dance on their heads." Crimson laughed. He made the Zord go forward, but Navy stopped him.

"We've knocked out their Zords. That's enough. For now." Navy said ominously, and the Thunders turned their Megazord, and walked away.

"Come in, Shane? Tori? Dustin?" Cam asked, his calls going unheard by the injured and unconscious Rangers, who were trapped. Maddy was pinned down in her seat, by several beams. She groaned in pain when she tried to move. The seriousness of their situation penetrated Maddy's dazed, foggy, brain. They were trapped, and their Zords were totaled. They had no way out.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Wow! That was a lot for you guys to read at one time, almost 5,000 words! I didn't think I would be able to finish this tonight, but I powered though. Thanks for reading, and please review! :D

~Weathergirl17248


	6. Chapter 6: Thunder Strangers, Part 2

**I'm so sorry, this should have been up a week ago! Life got busy, band, missing school, my birthday, Student Council, just life in general. I am sososososo sorry! I have also decided, since I'm at the 29****th**** review, I will give the pairing preview to the 30****th**** reviewer, although if it's my friend Zora, I will give her an alternate prize and give the preview to reviewer 31. :) Ok, my final thing is that I revamped most of this chapter, and really played around with it. Ok, now Maddy! :)**

**~Weathergirl17248**

Maddy groaned as she woke up. She was still clad in her Ranger gear, but her visor was open. Maddy's glasses were still on her face, barely, and the glass was cracked. She took her glasses off, and held onto them. No sense wearing them if I can't see out of them. Maddy decided. She was in her Zord still, and she was pinned to her seat by several iron beams. Maddy tried to lean away from the spark-spitting control panel. Where were her friends?

"Tori? Shane? Dustin? Can you guys hear me?" Maddy shouted, her voice cracking. Her voice went unheard, and she guessed her friends were in similar predicaments.

"Well, I guess the score is now Rangers 4, Lothor/Thunders 1." Maddy said with a weak laugh. She jabbed at the comlink button on her morpher.

"Cam? Sensei? Can anyone hear me?" Maddy called again, a panicky edge to her voice. Her comlink crackled, and then it spit sparks as well. Her purple Ranger Suit faded away, then came back. Maddy jittered her foot, then picked up a broken piece of some sort of pipe and whacked it against the metal beam pinning her. Still no response. Maddy tried her morpher comlink again.

"Cam? Are you there? Hellooooo?" Maddy shrieked into her morpher. She got a faint beep and some sparks in response. Maddy slid her glove off. "C'mon, baby, third time's the charm." She muttered. She cautiously hit the call button.

"Cam? Can you hear me?" Maddy asked. There was a dead silence, and still nothing. "Dangit!"Maddy snapped, and squeezed her morpher harder than she intended to. Maddy's hand began to glow a faint purple, very light at first, but it grew to a more solid purple. Maddy yelped with surprise and dropped her morpher to her lap. The morpher and Maddy's hand both shimmered purple, and just as suddenly as the color appeared, it disappeared. "Freaky…"Maddy breathed, but picked up her glove, yanked it back on, and gingerly picked up her morpher. She gently hit the comlink button, as if it were glass that could break at the slightest touch. It beeped, and suddenly Cam's voice could be heard.

"Maddy? I couldn't get ahold of anyone! What happened?" Cam asked nervously. Maddy bit her lip. Cam was gonna freak over the Zords.

"Well, there was a fight, and there were Thunder Rangers, and there was a Megazord fight, and stuff went kaboom, to sum up the results, I am currently trapped. In my Zord." Maddy rambled nervously. She didn't get a response. When Cam began to answer, the channel cut in and out, making it hard to understand.

"The others-krshhh-Zords are-krshh, apart-krshhh-try to-krshhhrshhhs." Was what Maddy could decipher from the static. The morpher spit sparks and died completely, as did her suit. Great. Just great. Greatest day ever. Maddy thought. She heard someone outside, and she froze. If it was a random person, she was screwed. If it was one of Lothor's goons, she was screwed. If it was anyone besides Tori, Dustin. Shane, or Cam, or Sensei, she was screwed. Wow. The possibilities for screwage are endless! She thought sarcastically. Maddy sighed. Better to be screwed than trapped, she decided, and she picked up the picked of pipe, and slammed it as hard as she could against the beam. She was rewarded with a resounding clang that left her ears ringing.

"Maddy? Maddy!" She heard Dustin yell, as he looked down inside the cockpit through the window at the front. The glass muffled his voice, and with the angle the Megazord sat; they were standing on the windshield. "How am I gonna get out?!" Maddy shrieked. Dustin produced his Lion Hammer. Oh gosh. Maddy muttered to herself. She closed her eyes, waiting to be showered with glass. When it didn't happened, Maddy opened her eyes, and saw Shane, Tori and Dustin arguing over the best way to break it. Tori was gesturing at the window with her Sonic Fin, while Shane was saying something about flames melting glass. This might take a while. Maddy thought resignedly.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

60 minutes later, Maddy was finally free from her Zord, and the four dejected teens hiked, well, stumbled up the steep hill.

"This can't be happening." Maddy whispered as she turned around halfway up, and surveyed the scorched earth and Zord rubble. Her friends turned as well.

"How can we fight without Zords?" Tori wondered aloud. Shane shrugged.

"Cam'll figure something out." Shane said reassuringly.

"I hope so, or we're screwed." Dustin pointed out. Tori whacked him on the arm, and Maddy followed suit. Dustin yelped.

"What was that for?!" Dustin exclaimed as the teens resumed their hike. Shane just gave him a look, that clearly stated shut it if you want to live. The silence was maddening, and Maddy was happy to see the top of the hill. She heard voices.

"Uhh, who's that?" She asked her friends nervously. Turns out it was Blake, Hunter and Kelly. As Maddy took a step towards them, she tripped on a rock and pitched forward, and would haves slammed her already bruised forehead on the ground, had Hunter not had lightning-fast reflexes and caught her. He smiled down at her, and gently set her back on her feet.

"Thanks." Maddy all but whispered, studying her flip-flop. If she would have known she would be hiking up a hill today, she would have worn tennis. Stupid shoes. Maddy thought. She could feel Hunter looking at her, and she forced herself to meet his gaze and smile.

"Are you guys ok?" Blake asked concernedly, looking at Tori.

"Yeah we're ok, thanks." Tori said, brushing a lock of her blonde hair behind her ears and looking at the ground.

"I was listening in the car on the way here, the news thinks it's some kind of alien attack!" Kelly explained. The Wind Ninjas shared a glance.

"Those kinda things happen a lot around here?" Hunter asked. Maddy gave a small smile. If only they knew. She thought with a smile.

"Never wondered why housing was so cheap?" Shane shot back. Maddy glared daggers at him. It was just a question! Her gaze read. When Hunter looked at her, she returned her gaze to neutral.

"We need to call someone, the police, the FBI, the CIA!" Kelly exclaimed. Maddy bit her lip. Nonononono! She shrieked mentally. She could barely pull off lying to Nani, no way could she lie to the CIA!

"No, Kelly, we're fine, thanks." Tori said calmly, her cool never slipping.  
"Really. We do have to go, though, we'll see you later." Maddy added, and the 4 Ninjas turned to leave. Hunter, Blake and Kelly watched them go. Blake laughed as he whacked his brother.

"Dude, you have it for that girl BAD." Blake stated. Kelly smiled. She had noticed it as well.

"Yeah, well, like you have room to talk." Hunter shot back, and stalked off back to the track. Blake and Kelly followed him.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

"You guys alright?" Shane asked as they cut through a meadow-y area on their way to Ninja Ops.

"Y'know, no, man, my morphers toast!" Dustin said, and he showed his morpher to his friends. Wiring peeked out of the cracked casing, and it spit sparks.

"So's mine. My glasses are busted, too." Maddy sighed, showing her friends her cracked and bent glasses. She slid them back on her face.

"Cam's gonna freak when he finds out we thrashed the Zords." Tori pointed out. Dustin stopped.

"Oh dude, that's gonna be ugly." Dustin said nervously, rubbing the back of his head. Shane nodded in agreement.

"I told Cam some of it over the links, but I didn't get too specific." Maddy explained. "All I said was that there was a fight, and there were Thunder Rangers, and there was a Megazord fight, and stuff went kaboom, to sum up the results, I am currently trapped. In my Zord. See? So he doesn't know the worst yet." Maddy said, somewhat cheerful. Tori sighed.

"Won't be long." The water ninja remarked gloomily. The teens continued across the plain, and into the forest once more.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

As the Rangers arrived at the waterfall, Tori and Shane entered, and Dustin was about to follow, when Maddy stopped.

"Gimme a sec." Maddy muttered, and she knelt down, and used the pond as a mirror so she could mess with her bangs so it hid the bruise. Dustin waited patiently. As soon as she was satisfied, Maddy walked across. When the Rangers arrived back at Ninja Ops, they received the lecture they knew was coming.

"Well, you managed to take years of technological advances, and turn it into scrap in one afternoon. Not to mention the Zords. How did you actually break the windshield on the Panther Zord in the fall?" Cam snapped. Maddy started to explain, but stopped, sighed, and looked at the floor.

"CAM. Now is not the time." Sensei said sternly to his angry son. Cam sighed.

"I'm sorry, you're right. Thankfully, blah, blah blah, self-reconstruct portals." Cam said. Dustin and Maddy both looked at him with a blank expression. She had totally tuned out.

"Dude, I've got no idea what you just said." Dustin said, as they went over to he mainframe, where a picture of the Zords was on screen. Maddy smirked.

"Amen to that!" Maddy exclaimed as she high-fived Dustin.

"They're fixing themselves." Cam said slowly, making sure Dustin and Maddy understood.

"Oh, ok, yeah, right cool!" Dustin exclaimed. Maddy merely nodded.

"Ow." Dustin muttered as Sensei used Dustin's head as a springboard. Maddy giggled.

"Sensei, why didn't they finish us off?" Shane asked.

"Yeah, I mean, those Zords were sicko, bro!" Dustin exclaimed. "I mean, Sensei." Dustin added hurriedly.

"They are ThunderZords, created by the same power that created yours." Sensei explained. Tori frowned.

"But, they work for Lothor? That doesn't seem to make ANY sense." Tori exclaimed. Maddy nodded in agreement.

"And Zurgane booking out of there when they arrived? That didn't seem to make any sense either." Maddy added, drumming her fingers on the control console.

"Is it a trick of some sort, Sensei?" Shane asked nervously. If it was a trick, and they're coming back, we're screwed! Shane thought.

"I suspect, as with all evil alliances, there is dissention in their ranks. Dissention that can be used to our advantage, when the time is right." Sensei explained calmly. Dustin showed his morpher to Sensei.

"I hope there's a warranty of this." Dustin said, as he studied the frayed wiring and shattered casing. Maddy held hers out too, and it was in the same condition.

"I just feel totally helpless. Isn't there something we can do?" Tori asked anxiously,

"For now, just return to your daily lives. If Lothor senses anything out of the ordinary, he will use that to his advantage, and it will make him more powerful." Sensei said.

"And be careful. They've already stolen the Tsunami Cycle disk somehow. Whoever you speak to, be sure you trust them." Cam added. Maddy sighed.

"So, I guess I'll head to the beach." Tori said, and she turned to leave. Shane, Dustin and Maddy looked at each other. Calling goodbyes to Sensei and Cam, as they walked up the steps they discussed their plans.

"Skatepark, I guess." Shane said, deciding to keep some semblance of normal in his life. Maddy rolled her eyes. That wasn't predictable at all.

"Track. Wanna come, Maddy?" Dustin asked his purple clad friend. Maddy shrugged.

"Maybe. First I have to find a way to hide this." Maddy said, as she pointed to the purple bruise that streaked across her forehead. Shane, Tori, and Dustin winced looking at it.

"Dude, doesn't that hurt? Like, a lot?" Dustin asked. Maddy frowned.

"Yes, yes it does. So, I'm gonna hide the bruise, and find some Advil. But not necessarily in that order. I guess I'll figure it out. Unless Nani's home, then I need an excuse, well, like I said, maybe I'll meet you later." Maddy said, and as soon as the teens were out of the stairway and into the sunlight, Maddy ninja-streaked away. Tori, Shane, and Dustin watched her leave.

"Y'know, after she got slammed head-first into the ground, should we have been worried?" Shane asked. Tori and Dustin looked at each other.

"Well, in our defense, we were kinda busy." Dustin pointed out. Tori nodded.

"Maddy would have said something, say, if she thought she had a concussion. I'll text her later." Tori said, and with that, the 3 remaining teens left.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy entered the house again, not bothering to be quiet. She slammed the front door and kicked her shoes off. Nani was still at her meeting, thank goodness, so she didn't have to act like life was great and peachy-keen. Maddy stomped up the stairs to her room, closed and locked the door, and into her bathroom. After digging around in the top left drawer of her vanity, Maddy found the Advil, which had been buried under scrunchies, hair ties, hairbrushes, hair things of all kinds. Then she set about working with her hair. Nothing worked. Maddy tried pinning it, brushing it sideways, everything. Maddy finally got fed up.

"DANGIT!" Maddy snapped, and kicked the wall. Then she squealed in pain, clutching her right foot.  
"Ok, stupid idea. Now, excuses. What can I use?" Maddy asked herself aloud. "Walked into a door, tripped, uhh, yeah, I got nothing." Maddy thought. I'll go with the door. Maddy cranked her stereo, and flopped onto her purple and blue striped-rug, not bothering to change out of her Ninja uniform. Maddy got tired of lying there, and began looking for her purple sketchpad. Crap. Maddy thought as realization dawned on her. Her sketchbook, and camera, and everything else was still at Ops. By the waterfall. And probably wet. Maddy sighed and stood up. Back to Ops. Maddy left her room, and headed back to Ops.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy stumbled out of her Ninja Streak just outside of Ninja Ops, almost slamming into a tree. The Advil was wearing off, and Maddy could feel her headache slowly creeping back. She shook it off, and headed over to her secret spot. She found her camera and her bag, as well as her sketchbook, and they were surprisingly dry. Maddy sat down to take a breather before taking off again. A light mist blew over her, and Maddy sighed with pleasure. She relaxed completely, and before she knew it, she had drifted off. Not quite asleep, just calm. Memories began to wash over her. Her dad. A smile danced across Maddy's lips. They had always had a close bond, because Maddy was an only child, but after the accident, they had grown closer. He had always come to dance and gymnastics whenever he could. His schedule was strange. Maddy had no idea what he did, but no matter what he always made time for her. Maddy suddenly heard a sudden roaring, and she snapped back to attention.

Her brain analyzed the noise. Motocross bike; 250 class, couldn't be Dustin. Sounded weird, like the person was speeding up, the slowing. Maddy slid down until she was completely obscured. She had to rely on her ears. The bike suddenly stopped, and there was a dull thud, it sounded similar to when Maddy accidentally knocked over both hers and Dustin's bikes. Someone crossed the lake, and due to Maddy's hiding place, she couldn't see them, and they couldn't see her. They vanished inside, and Maddy sat up a little straighter. She held her breath, as she heard someone groan. What?! Who could possibly be out there? Maddy peeped her head up over the rocks, and around the bushes. She gasped and slid down again. How the heck was Blake out there? Someone came out of the waterfall, and she recognized the voices of Tori and Cam. Maddy poked her head up, and saw them go over to Blake. Maddy silently slid out from her hiding place, and snuck up behind Tori and Cam.

"Why's Blake here?" Maddy asked, scaring Tori and Cam. She flopped down in the grass next to them.

"Don't scare me like that!" Tori exclaimed, and she whacked Maddy on the arm.

"When did you get here?" Cam asked at the same time. Maddy merely smirked.

"I've been here, I freaked and hid when I heard the bike. What happened to Blake, and why's he here?" Maddy asked, noting the freaky slugs. Cam turned his attention back to the teen in question.

"What are those things?" Tori asked nervously, as she watched Cam yank the blue things off one by one. She scooted away from the pile he was making the grass.

"They look like some sort of cybernetic leeches." Cam said, as he pulled the last one off. Maddy shuddered. Leeches were gross.

"Cybernetic, does that mean like, robotic?" Maddy asked, studying the leech-pile from where she sat. Tori and Cam both looked at Maddy with shock.

"What? Just because I'm a soon-to-be freshman doesn't mean I'm a total idiot." Maddy said indignantly.

"Did we get them off in time?" Tori asked anxiously, holding Blake's hand. Maddy raised an eyebrow. She too was worried about the dude, but she didn't miss the expression in Tori's eyes. Cam felt Blake's pulse.

"I think so, but this guy better drink a lot of water." Cam said, and he sat back.

"His name is Blake." Tori interjected.

"I don't care what his name is. Dad's gonna flip when he finds out you brought him here." Cam said. Tori gave him her own version of the Bambi eyes.

"Maybe he shouldn't find out?" Tori asked hopefully. Tori smiled sweetly, and Cam sighed. Maddy rolled her eyes.

"The morphers are on the console. Go get them, and I'll stay here." Cam said. Tori smiled sweetly at him, and kissed him on the cheek. Maddy smirked as Cam's face took on the color of Shane's ranger suit.

"Thanks Cam." Tori said sweetly, and bounced off towards the waterfall.

"Men as a species are DOOMED." Cam muttered. Maddy laughed, and didn't

"You hadn't already realized that?" Maddy asked with a smirk. Silence fell over the two teens as they watched Blake for any signs of change. Maddy cleared her throat nervously.

"Look, Cam, I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have snapped at you." Maddy apologized quietly. Cam looked rather surprised at the apology.

"If you don't mind my asking, where are your parents?" Cam asked curiously. Maddy sighed, and played with a piece of grass. Cam wondered if she had heard his question, until she spoke again.

"My mom died in a car crash when I was 13. I was with her, which is how I got this." Maddy said, and parted her bangs so the small scar was visible. Cam glanced at her forehead, and also noticed the purple bruise.

"My dad's on a archeological dig, I don't know where. Since I would miss too much school, I ended up living with my grandma in Blue Bay, which led me here." Maddy explained. Cam wasn't sure what to say until Tori suddenly bounced back out of the waterfall.

"Here are the morphers, Cam!" Tori said, as she set the box down between Cam and Maddy. The remaining morphers inside were Maddy's and Tori's, because Cam had mostly repaired Dustin's and Shane's. Maddy picked up her morpher and studied it.

"What are you doing, Maddy?" Cam asked, as he picked up Shane's morpher. Maddy looked up.

"The freakiest thing happened earlier, and I want to see if it was a coincidence, so I'm gonna try it again." Maddy explained. Tori and Cam looked puzzled. Oh yeah, I didn't get to tell them, oh well, they can see for themselves. Maddy thought. She closed her eyes, and squeezed her hand around her morpher. Maddy felt her energy kick in, and she tried to do exactly as she did earlier that morning. Tori gasped.

"Maddy, what did you do?" Cam asked. Maddy opened her eyes and looked at her hand, which glowed purple once more. Maddy loosened her grip, and the purple faded. Maddy grinned.

"I have no idea, but it's pretty awesome!" Maddy squealed. She pressed a button, and it beeped in response.

"That's amazing." Cam exclaimed. He took the morpher from Maddy and studied it. He studied the morpher. "It's almost completely fixed, except for some of the casing, which is simple. It must be something with the Lightning powers." Cam said. Tori stared at it.

"Does it work on other morphers?" Tori asked curiously. Maddy shrugged.

"I can try." Maddy said, and she picked up Tori's morpher, while Cam and Tori watched excitedly. Maddy closed her eyes, and focused. Maddy's hand began to tingle, and the tingling moved to her elbow, and the tingle became a shock.

"Ouch!" Maddy yelped, and dropped the morpher in her lap. She shook her hand around to remove the weird feeling.

"What happened?" Tori asked eagerly. Maddy frowned.

"I don't know, I was trying to fix it, and it made my arm all tingly, and then it shocked me." Maddy said, and she passed the morpher to Cam. Cam looked it over.

"Once again, it's mostly fixed. Just a few wires need to be tweaked." Cam said in amazement. "Did you read something in the Archives about this?" Cam asked. Maddy shook her head.

"Earlier today, it just happened! I didn't do anything that I know of. " Maddy explained. She played with a piece of grass. Tori stood up and stretched.

"I should probably get Blake back before someone, namely Hunter, misses him." Tori said, and Blake's eyelid twitched open as he heard his brother's name. Maddy, Cam and Tori didn't notice, and Blake snapped his eye shut again.

"Are you coming back with me, Maddy?" Tori asked. Maddy thought about it, and shook her head.

"Nah, I'll stay here and help rebuild Morphers. That is, if it's ok with you, Cam." Maddy said, looking to the teen. Cam nodded.

"Then I guess I'll see you later." Tori said, and with that, she got Blake situated on his bike, and Tori hopped on and gunned the engine. Maddy waved goodbye as Tori left. Cam picked up Tori's morpher, and Maddy grabbed her own, and they went to work.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy and Cam were still outside working on morphers. Maddy stretched.

"There. Last morpher finished." Maddy said in relief. Her head was pounding again, and she was ready to go home. Maddy picked up the two morphers she'd been working on. Cam stretched as well.

"These are done too. Would you take them to the others?" Cam asked. Maddy nodded.

"I'll take em in a sec, I gotta grab some stuff." Maddy said, and she scurried over to the waterfall. She leaned down and grabbed her bag, as well as her shoes. After slipping them on, she returned to Cam, who handed her the morphers.

"See you later, Cam!" Maddy said sweetly, and she went into Ninja Streak.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy ninja streaked to the woods just outside of the moto-track, and walked the rest of the way. She scanned the area, and found her friends near Tori's van. Maddy popped up behind Tori.

"I come bearing gifts!" Maddy announced cheerfully. Tori jumped slightly. It was disconcerting how Maddy could sneak up on her like that.

"Whaddya bring?" Dustin asked, as he leaned back against the van. Maddy smiled.

"I got our morphers back, we're gonna need them-" Maddy began, but halted abruptly as Hunter appeared.

"Hey guys." Hunter said, as Blake appeared alongside him. He glanced at Maddy an smiled. Maddy looked at the ground, willing the blush that had risen in her cheeks to go away.

"Hey man." Dustin said, missing the moment between Hunter and Maddy.

"Hi." Tori said. Blake glanced at Tori, almost shyly, and Tori smiled at him. Blake smiled as well.

"I just wanted to stay thanks for taking care of my bro." Hunter told Tori. Tori smiled.

"Anytime." Tori said sweetly, brushing a lock of hair out of her eyes.

"We owe you one. And we always make good on our promises." Hunter said seriously.

"I'll keep that in mind." Tori said, nodding. A silence fell over the group, it was rather awkward.

"Hey, we gotta get home. Parents, Y'know?" Blake said. Maddy sighed. Again with the parents! She thought crabbily. Her headache didn't exactly help her mood any. Maddy was lost in her thoughts, and missed the started glance Shane and Dustin shared.

"Yeah. I'll see you later." Tori said sweetly, also missing the glance that Dustin and Shane had.

"Seeya." Blake called, and he and Hunter turned to leave. Maddy gave a small wave, and Hunter smiled again, that heart stopping-wait, what am I thinking?! Maddy thought.

"Yeah, later!" Shane and Dustin echoed. As soon as Hunter and Blake were gone, Maddy knelt down and opened her bag, passing out morphers.

"Cam and I just finished these, and if we break them again we both may have a nervous breakdown." Maddy told her friends, as they strapped them back on. Dustin looked confused.

"Wait, you helped? How? I mean, dude, you're not exactly a morpher expert." Dustin asked. Maddy rolled her eyes.

"Dude, tact. Look it up. But, let's just say lightning powers are kick butt." Maddy smirked. Tori nodded. Shane and Dustin just looked confused.

"Yeah, it was pretty sweet. She like, squeezed it, and her hand glowed. And it was fixed. It's kinda a long story that confuses us all." Tori explained. Dustin and Shane nodded.

"That's awesome, bro." Shane said, and he slapped high fives with his friend.

"And thank you." Dustin chimed in. Maddy smiled.

"When you see Cam, say thank you, I think he's feeling a little unappreciated." Maddy added. Dustin and Shane nodded. After standing in silence, Dustin broke it.

"I thought that they said they didn't live with their parents." Dustin said, confused. Maddy stared at him.

"Who are talking about?" Maddy asked curiously, although she had a feeling she knew.

"Hunter and Blake. Earlier they told Kelly-" Shane's explanation was cut off by the morphers insistent beep. Maddy hit the button.

"I found the frog again, he's at the riverbank. Hurry!" Cam exclaimed, and signed off. Maddy, Shane, and Dustin looked confused.

"Y'know, if Cam wants a frog we can just stop by the pet store. They have a tank, like, full of them." Dustin said, motioning with his hands showing the size of the tank. Maddy smirked.

"I don't think he's talking about that kinda frog, Dustin. Am I right, Tori?" Maddy asked the blonde. Tori nodded.

"I'll explain on the way. Ready?" Tori asked, as they all fell into position, after looking around and ducking closer to the van.

"Ready." Shane, Maddy, and Dustin replied.

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form, HA!" The teens shouted as they morphed.

"Wind Ranger Power!" They called together. They were morphed into their respective costumes, and took off.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

As soon as they came out of Ninja Streak, they wasted no time in attacking. They leapt right at the water-sucking frog monster.

"He-ya!" They shouted together as they slammed into Amphibador.

"Ohoohooho!" Amphibador laughed in a high, squeaky voice, and he shot a laser at the 4 spandex-clad teens. A ball and chain appeared, and they were all wrapped up.

"Hey, I can't move!" Tori exclaimed and she tried to wiggle around. Maddy groaned.

"Aww, man, remember what happened last time we got tied up?" She asked her friends.

"What is it with getting wrapped up lately?" Dustin wondered aloud, as he too tried to get free. The others had no chance to respond when they were yanked into the air. "Going up, next floor housewares and sporting goods!" Amphibador squealed.

"Whoa!" The teens yelled. Amphibador held them there and simply laughed.

"Hope you can swim!" Amphibador laughed as he threw them to the river.

"I knew that'd make a splash!" Amphibador laughed and clapped his hands. He hopped up and down with glee, but his glee morphed (see what I did there?)to anger as the Ninjas backflip right back out.

"Sorry, the suit's dry-cleaning only!" Shane laughed as he jumped out.

"Throw it into rewind!" Tori called as she flipped out the same way she went in.

"Good thing this is wash and wear!" Dustin laughed as he bounced right back out, like the water was a trampoline.

"Sorry, this kitty don't do water." Maddy giggled as she pointed to the panther symbol on her suit. Hey, now there was a decent battle thing. Ha. Maddy thought. They squared off against Amphibador.

"Alright, guys, Ninja Beams!" Shane ordered as they raised their hands and shot their respective colors of lasers at Amphibador.

"Ohh, owww!" Amphibador squealed as the lasers made their mark. He suddenly disappeared.

"Where'd he go?!" Shane exclaimed as he turned around and looked for Amphibador.

"Aww, dude, when they disappear, it never goes well for us." Dustin groaned. Maddy nodded.

"I only like when they disappear and go kaboom." Maddy agreed.

"So, we're back to the question of: Where did he go?" Tori asked, as she looked around as well. They heard the unmistakable sound of cackling frog laughter. Because, seriously. There's only one sound like that in the world.

"Right here, Rangers!" Amphibador laughed as he hopped over to face them, eager for a fight. "Polytrons!" Amphibador squealed. Maddy's eyes widened beneath her helmet.

"Tori! That's what happened to-"Maddy began, but she was too late. The creatures latched on to the rangers, and they cried out as their suits shot sparks.

"Friendly, aren't they?" Amphibador laughed, jumping in glee. Maddy scowled.

"I hate frogs! Why won't he just explode?!" Maddy asked angrily. Shane nodded in agreement.

"This guys tough!" Shane agreed, and the Rangers struggled back to their feet, only to be slammed down again by a blast of lightning.

"Whoa!" The teens shouted together as they were sent through the air like a piece of paper.

"Maddy, did you do that?" Tori asked as she returned to her feet. Maddy shook her head as she too rose. The Thunders appeared. Maddy groaned.

"Like fighting a giant frog wasn't bad enough!" Dustin complained, as they fell apprehensively into defensive positions.

"Thunder Staffs, HA! Attack!" The Thunders shouted, and Maddy readied herself to be slammed to the ground as Crimson charged at her, only he ran past her, through the gap between her and Tori. Maddy stared in shock as they attacked Amphibador.

"I thought we were on the same team!" Amphibador squeaked as he was slammed with the Thunderstaffs. "Guess not. Polytrons!" Amphibador ordered, and he released the little blue slugs. The Thunders raised their staffs.

"Thunder shield!" They ordered, and their staffs transformed into octagonal shields with color-coded force fields in the middle. The polytrons were slammed to the ground.

"Wow. Those are some pretty multi-purpose sticks." Maddy pointed out. Dustin nodded.

"True that, bro." Dustin agreed. Amphibador pan

"My preciouses!" Amphibador shrieked, as the polytrons bounced off harmlessly. The Thunders repeatedly slammed Amphibador, who cried out as he began to spit sparks. Maddy noted the Thunders were preparing for their final attack.

"Thunderstaffs, tornado star!" They shouted, and their Thunderstaffs transformed once more to form an X shape. Shane let out a low whistle.

"Those are some seriously awesome sticks." Shane said, and Tori agreed. The Thunders whipped their weapons at Amphibador, who spit more sparks.

"Thunderblasters!" Crimson and Nave shouted, as Crimson received a laser-gun and Navy received a pair of pinchers in place of their Thunderstaffs.

"Crimson Cannon!" Crimson shouted as he aimed his gun at the now-terrified Amphibador.

"Navy Antlers!" Navy hollered, and he pinched the pinchers. Maddy was jealous.

"Shane, you're the leader." Maddy whispered. "Our weapons kick butt, but why don't we have multi-purpose sticks?" Maddy asked. Shane rolled his eyes. "I don't know. We don't know where they got their sticks." Shane whispered back. "I bet they got em' at Wal-Mart! Dude, we could-" Maddy began, but their attention was turned back to the fight as Amphibador screamed and exploded. Maddy was confused.

"So, I don't know what to score that as. The current score is 4 Rangers, 1 Lothor, but, should I group the Thunders with Lothor, since they kicked our butts earlier, or should I go for us?" Maddy asked her teammates, who shrugged, and fell silent as the Thunders turned and walked towards them.

"What's up with you guys?" Shane asked, as they brushed past him. Maddy nodded.

"Yeah, why'd you help us?" Dustin asked. Maddy jumped in as well.

"Are we friends now? Are you still gonna come kick our butts?" Maddy asked, and she could feel Shane giving her the eye. "Well, they did!" Maddy exclaimed. The Thunders kept walking, as if they hadn't made a sound.

"Maybe they're the strong, silent type?" Tori asked, although it wasn't as much as a question as it was a statement. Maddy shrugged.

"We're even, Wind Rangers." Crimson growled, and he and Navy suddenly disappeared.

"Well, that was just strange." Maddy said, staring at the spot the Thunders had just stood.

"No kidding. Today Is just not our day." Tori agreed. Suddenly, Amphibador returned, bigger than ever.

"I haven't croaked yet, Rangers!" Amphibador bragged, clapping his hands and jumping, sending shockwaves throughout the city. Maddy groaned.

"Serious-leh? Again? I'm still tired from the last Megafight." Maddy whined, but prepared to go into Mega mode anyway.  
"Hey Cam, guess what we need!" Shane called through the morphers cheerfully.

"Don't tell me!" Cam said, and Maddy heard the click of the button as Cam summoned the Zords.

"Let's do it!" Shane ordered as the Rangers jumped into the Zords.

"You guys ready?" Shane asked.

"I was born ready!" Maddy affirmed.

"Let's light this candle!" Dustin agreed.

"Ready to rumble!" Tori called, and the teens all hit their corresponding buttons.

"Storm Megazord!" They shouted together. The Zords came together to form their fighting machine and they squared off against Amphibador.

"About time! Polytrons!" Amphibador shouted, and shot his Polytrons at the Megazord. The teens cried out as the Megazord stumbled. Tori whacked the comlink button on her console.

"I'm gonna lose it if we trash the Zords again." Maddy stated, as they Megazord gained balance again.

"Cam! We're getting beat, anything you can send out way?" Tori asked. Maddy heard Cam pressing buttons back at Ninja Ops.

"Yeah, try the Ram Hammer!" Cam said, and he sent the disks.  
"Let's do it! Power Disk, locked and dropped!" Dustin said, and he sent the disk down the chute. The power disk emerged, and the Ram Hammer appeared.

"Ram Hammer!" Maddy, Shane, Dustin and Tori shouted. They slammed him with the Ram Hammer.

"Take that, ugly!" Maddy cheered, as Amphibador stumbled.

"Oh, you HAD to go there!" Amphibador croaked indignantly. He shot Polytrons towards the Rangers.

"Bring it on, Frog Face!" Shane challenged. Maddy jerked her controls suddenly to slam the hammer.

"Anyone up for some baseball?" Maddy asked as she slammed the polytrons back to Amphibador.

"Hey, Maddy, that was actually a pretty good fighting line!" Tori observed. Maddy grinned.

"Why thank you for noticing, Tori." Maddy said, and she slammed Amphibador with the Ram Hammer. He began to fall, and he slammed to the ground. Maddy craned her neck to see down to the ground.

"Is he down for good?" Dustin asked nervously. Maddy stood up on her seat.  
"Yeah, wait-nah, he's getting back up." Maddy observed, and she slid back down into her seat and placed her hands on the controls.

"Just resting! What else you got?" Amphibador challenged as he hopped back to his feet. Maddy rolled her eyes. Never ask that to the good guys. Maddy thought mentally.

"Let's do it!" Shane exclaimed. The teens messed with their controls, and prepared to destroy.  
"Ready!" Dustin shouted.  
"Aim!" Maddy and Tori called together.  
"Hammer!" Shane ordered, and they slammed their buttons at the same time, slamming Amphibador down for good. An explosion lit up the area, and promptly disappeared.

"And he is down! That is 1 for Lothor, 1 for Thunders, and 5 for Rangers! Actually, scratch Lothor's he has nothing, because the Thunders cancelled his out." Maddy explained. The Rangers dismounted their Zords and demorphed.

"I need to grab some stuff from Storm Chargers." Dustin announced. Shane nodded as well.

"Yeah, my skateboard is there." Shane said, and as he turned to take off, Tori stopped him.

'I need to head there, I can give you guys a ride back to Ops. Coming with us, Maddy?" Tori asked, and Maddy shook her head.

"I was just going to go back to Ops. I'll meet you guys there." Maddy said, and she Ninja Streaked away.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

As Tori, Shane, and Dustin entered Ops, they were discussing the confusion with Hunter and Blake.

"Yeah, that's what they told Kelly, no parents!" Shane exclaimed. Tori flipped a piece of hair behind her shoulder.

"Blake and Hunter lied to me? Why?" Tori wondered sadly. She had been really starting to like Blake. As they entered the room, Dustin looked around.

"Where is-"He began, but was cut off by the appearance of two unlikely figures. The Thunder Rangers.

"Hey." Navy said casually, as Crimson restrained Cam, while Navy held on to Maddy, who was struggling madly, a panicked look in her eyes. Tori, Shane and Dustin fell into defensive positions.

"What are you doing here?" Shane growled. He was about to rip into the Thunders, and he would have, had it not been for the hostages Maddy and Cam. Navy and Crimson demorph, revealing themselves to be none other the Blake and Hunter.

"What do you want? How'd you get in here?" Dustin asked angrily, fists clenched, glaring at them.

"Ask her." Hunter snorted, as he motioned towards Tori, who recoiled as if she had been slapped.

"Blake?" Tori asked hesitantly, hurt and pain threading her tone.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to use you. But, we had to find Ninja Ops." Blake smirked. Cam stiffened.

"If you hurt either of them, I will hunt you down." Tori snarled, her voice breaking. Maddy kept struggling, kicking and yelling, although her cries were muffled by Blake's hand that covered her mouth.

"Leave him, we've got what we want. Goodbye, Rangers, and good luck in your future battles." Hunter snorted, and they shoved Cam forwards, and Dustin dived towards Maddy, but caught nothing but air. Maddy bit Blake's hand, and shrieked for help, right as the Thunders disappeared, taking Maddy with them.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**


	7. Chapter 7: Thunder Strangers, Part 3

**Hey everyone! I'm sorry this chapter is so late, my week was a lot crazier than expected. And I got caught up in the TMNT fanfic world, and I may write one for it, and a fanfic from. So now, here's Maddy.**

**~Weathergirl17248**

**DISCLAIMER-I don't own Power Rangers Ninja Storm, Saban/Disney do. I only own my OC's and stuff you don't recognize.**

_Last Time- _

"_Maddy, what did you do?!"_

"_I don't care what his name is. Dad's gonna flip when he finds out you brought him here."_

"_We owe you one. And we always make good on our promises."_

"_What are you doing here?"_

"_Blake?"_

_Maddy bit Blake's hand, and shrieked for help, right as the Thunders disappeared, taking Maddy and Sensei with them._

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy trudged through the woods next to the newly unveiled Thunder Rangers and Sensei. Her arms were tied behind her back, and Blake's tight grip on her arm left no hope of escape. They had taken Sensei as well. Why her? Maddy wondered. I mean, she was the weakest fighter, but what purpose did that serve? So she decided to ask questions, just to be annoying.

"Why'd you guys take us?" Maddy demanded as they continued walking. Blake rolled his eyes.

"Well, we let's just say that we have our plans and reasons. And we don't need to explain them." Blake said mysteriously. Maddy glared at him.

"Not an answer! I want to know. Right now. Or I'll stop walking." Maddy threatened. She really wasn't in the position to make threats, but, what they hey, she got beat up, blown up, bruised, battered, and kidnapped, heck it was only 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

"Stop walking, and I'll carry you." Hunter snorted. Maddy mulled over that. That wouldn't be so bad-OMZ WHAT AM I THINKING?! She kicked herself mentally for even thinking that. The dude just kidnapped her. And had blown her up multiple times. She should really hate him.

"Let us go, or I'll make you regret the day you were born." Maddy snarled. Blake just looked at her. Maddy kicked at him, which Blake easily dodged. Hunter glared at her.

"Can't you just do as your told, and just walk along?" He asked, and something in his tone made Maddy lose it.

"YOU'RE TELLIN ME TO DO WHAT I'M TOLD?! YOU KIDNAPPED ME! WHY SHOULD I?!" Maddy shrieked. The boys just laughed, and Maddy glared hatefully at them.

"Patience, Madison. The situation is not ideal, but we must keep our tempers in check." Sensei admonished. Maddy sighed.

"Yes, Sensei." Maddy murmured. They continued walking along, until Blake stopped short. A ghostly breeze rippled through the area. Tree branches swayed, and the ghostly beams of sunlight that filtered through the foliage disappeared and reappeared. Even though the sun was shining, Maddy was shivering.

"I don't know about you bro, but this place creeps me out." Blake said nervously.

"Not that anyone really cares about my opinion here, and I hate to agree with him, but something is wrong here. No birds, nothing." Maddy agreed quietly. Hunter shook his head.

"Don't be a baby." Hunter snorted. He started walking once more, and Blake followed.

"You should be afraid, thunder rangers. There are the spirits of the darkest warriors ever known here." Sensei advised them. Hunter rolled his eyes.

"Seriously, guys, listen to Sensei. He knows what he's talking about." Maddy agreed. The boys kept walking, ignoring Maddy as well.

"We know what we're doing." Blake snapped, but in his eyes was a completely different story.

"Then you should know that if you take revenge on someone who has done nothing to you makes you just as guilty as the one who hurt you in the first place." Sensei added. Maddy was confused.

"You destroyed our parents! Parents who adopted us, gave us a life. You deserve everything that's coming to you." Hunter snarled angrily. Maddy was shocked.

"Look, I haven't known Sensei for long, but I do know that there's no way he would kill anyone. He taught us to fight only in self-defense." Maddy added angrily. Hunter just shook his head, and kept walking.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

"How much further?" Blake asked a little while later.

"My feet hurt. If you seriously had to kidnap me and take me on a hike, couldn't you have at least told me to wear real shoes?" Maddy asked crabbily, as she reached down and massaged the top of her foot.

"Almost there." Hunter said, and a strange noise split the otherwise silent woods. Maddy's eyes widened.

"Y'hear that?" Blake asked nervously. Hunter looked nervous too as he nodded.

"Yeah." Hunter whispered. Maddy tried to scoot away, but Blake kept a tight hold on her arm.

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Maddy muttered. Zombie Ninjas appeared out of thin air. Maddy yelped in surprise and backed away. Hunter set Sensei down slowly, and Blake let go of Maddy's arm. Maddy planned on running, but there was no way she would leave Sensei. The boys went slowly into their morphing positions.

"Hey! I'm not in the mood to die, so could you untie my hands?" Maddy exclaimed. They boys ignored her. Idiots. She thought.

"Thunder storm!" The boys said slowly, with a touch of dramatics. Maddy rolled her eyes. It would be a lot better to just get it over with.

"Ranger form-" The boys continued, and they moved their hands to the next position.

"Get on with it." Maddy said, and leaned against a tree, acting as if there weren't any Ninja Zombies that she should really be afraid of. There was another dramatic pause, as the Zombies prepared to attack.

"HA!" The boys finally shouted, and went into their morph. "Power of Thunder! " They added. The fight began. Most of the zombies went to Hunter and Blake, but several went to Maddy as well.

"Aww, crap!" Maddy shouted as she kicked at the monsters. She couldn't do much with her hands tied together. They grabbed her, and began to drag her away. Maddy screamed, and Hunter noticed.

"Maddy!" Hunter shouted, and he slammed his zombies away, and fiercely attack the zombies restraining Maddy. They were down just long enough for Hunter to yank Maddy away.

"Thanks." Maddy gasped out, catching her breath, as she stepped into the shadows. Hunter simply ran back into battle. He and Blake were getting surrounded, and Maddy was torn between grabbing sensei and running, or helping the boys. Maddy sighed. She jumped out from the shadows.

"HEY UGLIES! You forgot about me!" Maddy yelled, and several zombie-ninjas started towards her. Maddy grabbed a stick from the ground, and started beating the monsters with it. If the situation wasn't so serious, Hunter thought, he would have laughed. Maddy was laughing.

"POWA OF THE-aw crap." Maddy muttered. She had been super siked, and was actually, crazy as it sounds, having a bit of fun, but, then the stick broke. She got yanked over to the thunder brothers.

"They just keep coming! " Blake cried as he, Hunter and Maddy were lifted into the air.

"This is so bad!" Maddy yelped as she was dangled over the unforgiving ground, just waiting to be dropped.

"What now?!" Hunter exclaimed, as he kicked at the Zombies. Their answer came in the form of yellow, red and blue lasers.

"I believe my help has arrived!" Maddy smirked as Tori, Shane and Dustin appeared on their Tsunami Cycles.

"Coming through!" Shane laughed, as he shot at the Zombies. He pulled his bike ti a halt and jumped off, and circled up with Tori and Dustin. They took in the battle, and noticed the 2 Thunders and the Lightning Ninja.

"Whoa, who do we fight?!" Dustin asked nervously, as he eyes both the Thunders and the Zombies.

"How bout anyone not wearing a primary color?" Tori asked. Shane nodded.

"Good plan!" Shane agreed.

"Bad plan! Very, very bad plan!" Maddy shouted. Shane winced.

"Ok, anybody not wearing a primary color OR purple." Tori amended. Maddy smiled.

"Good plan! And could someone untie me?" Maddy asked. As the boys leapt into the fray, Tori helped her friend.

"Ninja sword!" Tori shouted, and drew her blue sword from its case. She carefully lined up the blade, while Maddy watched her anxiously. Don't cut off my hand don't cut off my hand. Maddy chanted mentally. Tori slammed down, and the rope sliced apart, and Maddy was still in possession of all her fingers.

"Thanks Tori!" Maddy said happily, as she fell into position.

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form, HA!" Maddy shouted, as she morphed. "Power of Lightning!" Maddy called. She and Tori raced into battle. Maddy found a band of goons almost immediately.

"Hey guys, ready for some fun?" Maddy laughed. "Lightning Bow!" She added, and she began firing away at the zombies. She shot them over and over, but they wouldn't go down. Maddy slowly backed away, as the Zombies advanced. She shot at them once more with her bow, but the Zombies simply absorbed it. Maddy suddenly backed into something, and she whirled around. It was only Tori.

"These guys are fearless!" Shane exclaimed nervously as the Wind Ninjas and the Thunder Ninjas formed a defensive circle. Hunter held some sort of-oh wait, he had Sensei.

"They're dead, they've got nothing to lose." Maddy pointed out as the zombies advanced.

"So that would be the glass half empty, right?" Dustin asked.

"BACK OFF!" Hunter shouted, and he kicked at the Zombies, while holding Sensei with his hands. Shane glanced at the Thunders.

"How bout a truce? We do this together." Shane stated. Hunter and Blake glanced at each other.

"Fine by me. But only for now." Hunter agreed, and they paired up. Maddy, Shane and Hunter, and Tori, Blake and Dustin. After some intense fighting from both groups, the Zombies dissipated.

"That was great teamwork, Rangers." Sensei congratulated the 6 teens. Dustin grinned beneath his helmet.

"That was sick, bro!" Dustin exclaimed excitedly, and he clapped Blake on the shoulder. Blake looked down at Dustin's hand.

"Don't call me bro!" Blake snarled, and he twisted Dustin's wrist. Tori gasped.

"Blake!" Tori exclaimed angrily, and he shoved her to the ground. Meanwhile, Shane offered a cautious high-five to Hunter.

"Good one." Shane said grudgingly. Hunter glared at him under his visor.

"Yeah right!" Hunter snapped, and elbowed Shane hard in the stomach.

"What's your problem?!" Maddy exclaimed, as she aimed a high kick to Hunter's head, but he caught it and flipped her over. Maddy groaned as she slammed into the unforgiving ground headfirst once more. The Thunders laughed, and disappeared using their Thunder powers.

"They're getting away with Sensei!" Tori exclaimed angrily. The teens climbed to their feet.

"Not for long. Ninja streak!" the teens shouted together, and they Ninja streaked after the Thunder Rangers.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

As soon as they arrived at the quarry, the teens went into battle mode, and attacked the Thunders. The battle was short and sweet, and left the Ninja Storm rangers sprawled out on the ground. Maddy groaned as she got back to her feet.

"Why are you doing this to us?!" The Earth Ninja asked angrily. Hunter merely laughed.

"Simple. Revenge." Hunter growled.

"Wha- whoa!" Tori cried as the rocky ground rocked (no pun intended) beneath the Ninja's feet. A Megazord appeared.

"Who's that?! Is that-" Shane began, but stopped as he realized.

"Zurgane!" Dustin said, as he stared up at the machine.

"Who gave him keys to a Megazord, huh?" Maddy asked. "I am going to kick whoever is responsible for that's butt!" Maddy added. Their morphers suddenly crackled.

"Guys, they're getting away!" Cam exclaimed, and Maddy looked up in horror to see the Thunders making a break for it. Babies. Maddy thought.

"Who should we fight?" Shane asked. They could either let the Thunders make a break for it with Sensei, or let Zurgane trash the city?

"We'll handle the Zords and Zurgane. You boys go after them." Tori decided. Maddy grinned.

"I like that, let's do it!" Maddy said. Maddy was ready to kick some butt. The boys nodded in agreement.

"On it!" They called, and they took off after the Thunders and Sensei.

"Cam, how bout those Zords?" Maddy asked cheerfully. Maddy heard Cam clicking buttons back at Ops.

"On it Maddy." The genius replied, and the Zords appeared. Maddy and Tori jumped in. Maddy ran her hand along the controls for the PantherZord. All was fixed and didn't have a trace of the damage that had been done that morning. "Impressive." Maddy murmured.

"Here goes nothing!" Tori said, and she activated the Megazord sequence. "Cam, a little help here?" Maddy added. She only could control legs, and Tori had an arm.

"I'm sending you a power disk that will allow you both to control the Zords by yourselves." Cam said, and a power disk appeared.

"Time to lock and load!" Maddy called as she slipped the coin into the holder and twisted the handle.

"Thanks! Who said women can't drive?" Tori asked as she started the controls. Maddy laughed.

"Well, whoever said that would be right, because I mean, I don't have my license yet. But I do drive large, dangerous robots on a daily basis, so that has to count for something." Maddy pointed out with a smirk. And the battle began.

"Prepare to be destroyed, Rangers." Zurgane taunted, as he shot the Megazord with lightning. Maddy glared at him.  
'You did not just use my own element against me! You wazbag!" Maddy shouted. She clicked a button on her panel.

"Lion blaster!" Maddy shouted, and she shot lasers at him from Dustin's Zord. Zurgane thudded to the ground.

'Score one for the girls!" Tori announced. Sadly, Zurgane got back up.

"Oh, so that's how it's gonna be!" Tori exclaimed, as the girls readied for round two.

"Your defeat is imminent, rangers." Zurgane snarled as he knocked the Megazord to the ground with a single swipe from his sword. Sparks flew from the Megazord.

"It's all good, we wanted to do that!" Tori laughed, and Maddy used her controls to bring the Megazord to its feet.

"Need a lift, Rangers?" Zurgane asked coldly as he lifted the girls into the air with electricity, and slammed them back down. Maddy yelped as first her forehead collided with the control panel, and then was knocked into the headrest on her seat.

"If we trash the Zords again I'm so gonna freak." Maddy groaned, and suddenly the face of Zurgane's Zord filled her view screen.

"Gotcha. Nighty-night, Purple Ranger." Zurgane laughed, and he brought his fist down. Maddy screamed, along with Tori. Zurgane narrowly missed. Maddy let out the breath she was holding. "Too close." Maddy murmured, and suddenly Maddy felt the Megazord being lifted up.

"It's over." Zurgane laughed. "Admit it, Rangers. I have won." Something inside Maddy and Tori snapped at that.

"That's it Zurgane, you're through ruining my day! Dolphin lasers!" Tori ordered, and her Zord began firing lasers into the belly of Zurgane's Megazord.

"Yeah Tori!" Maddy cheered, and looked down at her control panels. "My turn. Claw kick!" Maddy shouted, and the foot of the Megazord, which had spikes on it from PantherZord's claws, and slammed him, causing sparks to fly, and to send Zurgane's Megazord staggering backwards.

"Who do you think you are?" Zurgane snarled as he regained his footing.

"I'm a big fish with an attitude. Dolphin blaze!" Tori replied. Maddy laughed.

"A Zord's nothing without accessories. Power sphere 6!" Maddy ordered, and the 6th Power Sphere appeared. "Turbine combo!" Tori added. They blasted the laser at Zurgane's Megazord, which blew to pieces. The girls cheered.

"This just in. Wind Ninjas are still in the lead with a score of 5 wins, and Lothor trails behind with one, that was technically the Thunders, so, Lothor 0."Maddy announced. Tori laughed.

'C'mon, let's help the boys." Tori said, and the girls left the Megazord.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

"Hey, guys! You got him!" Maddy cheered as she ran up with Tori. They all exchanged high-fives. Suddenly, an unwelcome guest appeared.

"Mind if I cut in?" Blake laughed, and he kicked Sensei out of Shane's hands. Maddy kicked at Blake's feet, knocking him to the ground. It was the beginning of a short but intense battle between the 5 teens, and they were so busy fighting they didn't notice Hunter until it was too late.

"Guys, look out!" Tori cried, seeing Shane and Maddy were caught in the path.

"Shane, Maddy, get out of there!" Dustin called. Maddy grunted in response as she kicked at Blake.

"We're a little busy!" Shane shouted back as he tried to smack Blake along the helmet, while holding on to Sensei. Blake knocked Shane away just as Hunter fired. Shane managed to get out of the way of the direct blast, but Maddy and Blake weren't so lucky. They were caught dead on. Maddy was sent flying.

"Ahhh!" Maddy shrieked, but fell silent as she slammed into the cliff wall. The other Wind Ninjas were sprawled out as well, and Hunter picked up Sensei.

"Blake, are you alright?" Hunter asked his Navy-clad brother, who nodded.

"Do we need the girl?" Blake asked, pointing at the dazed Lightning Ninja. Hunter nodded.

"You take the hamster, I'll get the girl." Hunter said, and he handed Sensei to Blake, and headed towards Maddy. Maddy's dazed brain registered that someone was approaching, and she felt someone pick her up. Maddy began to struggle.

"Lemme go." Maddy yelped. The person, now from Maddy's vantage point she could she it was Hunter. Hunter ignored her protests, and he and Blake, along with Maddy and Sensei, disappeared again.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

The Thunders, as well as Maddy, stood unmorphed on the shore by the Mountain of Lost Ninjas. Maddy shivered. Something felt wrong here. Something was pulling at her strength. The waves crashed against the shore they stood on violently, foaming and growing larger.

"The Ninjas sense our presence." Sensei said, as he noticed the waves.

"This place is seriously giving me the creeps." Maddy murmured, as she crossed her arms. Blake and Hunter looked around, and Blake noticed something.

"The cavern." Blake said, and he pointed to a cave in the side of the mountain.

Sensei-Consider what you're about to do very carefully. There are powerful spirits here.

"Be quiet. The Gem of Souls will take care of you." Hunter snapped. Maddy glared at him.

"You could show a little respect." Maddy pointed out, her eyes spitting angry sparks. Hunter ignored her again, and started towards the cave. The closer to the cave they got, the weirder Maddy felt.

"I think I'll just wait out here." Maddy said nervously, as she stared into the dark cave. Blake pulled her forward.

"You're part of this too. Come on." Blake ordered, and the teens vanished into the darkness.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

After walking through the dark, Blake, Hunter, Maddy and Sensei arrived in a room of sorts. It glowed a light green color from a gem that sat in the middle of the room. Maddy felt her legs beginning to feel weak. The farther in she got, the worse she felt. Hunter picked up the rock.

"The Gem of Souls." Hunter breathed. He set Sensei down in the center of the rock table that the Gem sat on, and he raised the Gem high over his head. Maddy gasped. She was about to shout at him to stop, but a new voice beat her to it.

"No! Put it down. Sensei didn't do anything." Shane said, as he, Dustin and Tori appeared. Maddy looked relieved.

"Lothor told us everything." Hunter argued. He looked to his brother for confirmation. Maddy couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"He saw the whole thing. He told us!" Blake voice rose angrily.

"And you believed him?" Tori asked incredulously.  
"Why shouldn't we?" Hunter asked. Maddy looked at her friends.

"Well, he's not exactly known for being one of the good guys." Maddy pointed out gently. She didn't want to anger them.

"He kidnapped all those Ninja student and teachers." Dustin added.

"I'm done talking!" Hunter snarled, and he was about to slam the Gem down again when a new voice stopped him.

"Put it down, Hunter." A masked figure in a white robe ordered. Two more figures stood next to him.

"Who are they?" Dustin asked, as the first two removed their hoods.

"Mom? Dad? How are you-" Hunter asked, tears filling his eyes. Blake's eyes filled as well. Maddy's eyes filled with tears as well. She would give anything to see her again.

"This is the mountain of Lost Ninjas, Hunter. We will be here for all eternity." The man said. Hunter and Blake's dad.

"Because of him, right?" Blake asked angrily.

"No." The boy's mom said gently. The boys were shocked.

"Than who is?" Hunter asked as his voiced cracked.

"Because of the one they call Lothor."

Tori-Now there's a shock.

"I don't want to be rude, dude, but who's that?" Dustin asked, and he pointed to the third figure. The figure removed her hood, revealing a woman who bore an amazing resemblance to Maddy. Maddy's eyes popped.

"Mom?" Maddy whispered in a voice choked with emotion. The woman nodded.

"My sweet baby girl, I am so proud of you. I want you to know that I love you and I'll always be with you." The woman said gently. The woman, as well as Hunter and Blake's parents began to fade.

"No, they're fading!" Hunter cried. Maddy's tears ran down her cheeks.

"Come back!" Blake begged, as his voice broke and tears shone in his dark eyes.

"We'll always be looking after you." The woman said with a smile.

"Make us proud." The father added. Then they were gone.

"Come back. Please, mom, come back." Maddy whimpered. All three were on the verge of tears. Maddy suddenly felt absolutely drained.

"What a sight. The Thunders and a Lightning crying for their mommies. My ears were burning. You've been talking about me, haven't you?" Lothor asked smoothly. Maddy's gaze was full of dangerous hate.

"It was you all along! You lied to us." Hunter said angrily. Lothor merely laughed.

"Not the brightest bulbs on the tree, are you? Now, give me that hamster. We've got business to attend to." Lothor ordered. The Wind Ninjas glared at Lothor.

"Actually dude, he's a guinea pig. Dustin pointed out. Lothor rolled his eyes.

"I don't care what he is. He could be a unicorn for all I care. Now hand him over." Lothor said in a light cheerful tone. He may have sounded happy, but there was a dangerous underlining tone to his words.

"There's no way that we're giving him to you." Shane protested, and the teens stepped in front of where Sensei was.

"Than I'll just take him." Lothor said simply.

"Uh, hello, lots of us, one of you." Tori pointed out. Lothor smiled evilly.

"Oh please. HEYAH!" Lothor shouted as he shot a blood-red laser at the teens.

"Everyone get back!" Hunter shouted as he jumped in front of Maddy, and held out the Gem. It returned the blast back to Lothor, who yelled and disappeared. The teens stood frozen in place. Maddy's mouth formed an O of surprise.

"What happened?" Tori asked.

"Dude, you nailed Lothor!" Dustin exclaimed excitedly. Shane got a closer look at the Gem.

"Whoa." Shane breathed. The Gem was shattered. Hunter stepped closer to the group, and was standing right next to Maddy with his hand outstretched.

"The gem of souls, it's broken! I used it to protect us." Hunter said. As Hunter showed it around so people could get a better look, Maddy felt her entire body losing the very last bit of energy she had. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

"That's bad, right?" Dustin asked Sensei.

"For better or worse, the Gem's power cannot be broken." Sensei explained.

"Speaking of power-" Tori began, and Maddy collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Later that day, back at Ninja Ops, Maddy was arguing with her friends over what had happened.

"Maddy, are you sure you're ok? I mean, people don't faint randomly every day." Tori pointed out. Maddy sighed.

"Seriously, guys, I'm fine, I was just tired." Maddy said crabbily. Cam, while the 4 teens were having their "creative discussion", was looking through one of the Archive books on Lightning Ninjas, and he found something,

"Guys!" Cam yelled, and the teens fell silent. "It says here that Lightning Powers, when exposed to the Gem of Souls, can have a negative reaction, like draining your energy." Cam explained. Maddy smirked.

"Ha! It was just the weird rock-thing. So, I'm fine. And I'm heading home now to take a short nap. Bye!" Maddy called over her should as she left. When she arrived outside, she grabbed her stuff, and was gone.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy arrived home, and stumbled up the steps. She really had sort of lied when she said she was fine. Maddy was exhausted, and that was putting it lightly. She didn't even bother to try and hide the bruise as she walked inside. Nani still wasn't home, thank goodness. Maddy trudged up the stairs to her room and pulled on her pajamas. She climbed into bed and fell asleep.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Meanwhile, Sensei and Cam had left Ninja Ops and were on the top of a cliff that overlooked the beach below. Cam held the shattered Gem of Souls in his hand. He glanced down at it, and then looked back to the blue-green ocean. The only sound was the wave crashing against the beach.

"The Gem of Souls is dangerous, Cam. In the wrong hands, it could bring harm to countless innocent people, not to mention Maddy." Sensei said. Cam stood up, and threw the Gem. It disappeared into the waves, and the waves glowed a slight green before returning to normal.

"What would have happened if Maddy had been exposed for longer?" Cam asked his father, as he stared into the ocean.

"The Gem of Souls is very volatile to Lightning Powers. All we know is that it would have been much more serious." Sensei said, and silence fell between father and son.

"He's not through with us, is he?" Cam finally asked. Sensei looked puzzled for a moment.

"Lothor? No. He is far from it, I fear." Sensei replied. Sensei had no idea that at that very moment, Lothor was plotting his revenge.

**Well, there you have it! More coming soon, my last day of school before break is tomorrow. Thanks for reading! **

**~weathergirl17248**


	8. Chapter 8: Maddy's Challenge

**Hey guys. Here is my self-created chapter, hope you all like it. It's in place of Nowhere to Grow, I thought it was a dumb filler eppie. Another thing, the stuff in italics is a **_**flashback**_**. R and R! :D **

**~weathergirl17248**

**DON'T OWN IT. Well, I mean this chapter was my ideas, but I don't own Shane, Tori, Dustin, Cam, Lothor, Sensei, or Zurgane. Or Ninja Ops, or Blue Bay Harbor. You get the picture.**

* * *

Maddy yawned as she woke up. Sunlight peeped through her window between her curtains. Wait, what? Maddy thought groggily, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her window faced the east. The sun rose in the east. Had she seriously been asleep since yesterday afternoon after the battle? Maddy wondered. I was more tired than I thought. She glanced at the digital calendar on her clock. Friday, August 13, 9:30 am. Holy cow. She had stumbled up to bed on the 11th. Her friends probably thought she was dead. Maddy scrambled out of bed. She grabbed her uniform and headed to take a shower. She caught a glance of herself in the mirror on the way. Dang. Her dark hair was tangled and the little bit of makeup she wore was smudged, and her bruise was fading, but not completely gone. She looked awful. Maddy shuddered, and hurried to the shower.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy walked down the stairs with her bag slung over her shoulder, and entered the kitchen, where she smelled bacon and eggs. Nani stood at the stove, humming to the jazz music that played over the radio. She turned and smiled as her granddaughter entered the kitchen.

"Morning, sweetheart. I was about to wake you up." Nani said cheerfully, as she scooped the scrambled eggs into a bowl. "I was going to yesterday, but you seemed so peaceful I decided to let you wake on your own." Nani continued. Maddy yanked out a chair from the table as Nani put a plate for Maddy down.

"Yeah, I had a rough day, and I was really tired." Maddy said, as she began to eat. Nani raised an eyebrow.

"What happened? And what happened to your forehead?" Nani asked curiously. Maddy quickly looked down at her food to hide her expression.

"Uhh, I was riding, and, and I smacked my head on the handlebars." Maddy said nervously. Buy it, buy it! Maddy chanted silently. Nani shook her head.

"Try and be more careful, sweetheart. Your dad wouldn't be thrilled if I called him and told him you had a concussion." Nani cautioned. Maddy nodded. After picking at her food a few minutes longer, Maddy stood up. If she didn't see her friends soon, they'd thinking she died.

"I gotta go." Maddy said hurriedly. She placed her dishes in the sink, and left the house, stopping to grab her shoes. Nani heard the door slam. She was almost positive that Maddy was one of the Rangers that were protecting Blue Bay, but she didn't have any evidence, so she planned to wait and see.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Tori, Shane and Dustin were already at Ops by the time she arrived. Maddy heard snippets of conversations as she tiptoed silently down the stone stairs. Her necklace made a soft clang as it whacked against the zipper on her bag. Maddy put her hand over it.

"Yeah, but we didn't see her at all yesterday." Maddy heard Dustin point out, sounding worried.

"What if Lothor got her?" Tori asked Sensei, but Maddy couldn't hear the guinea pig's answer. On the last dark step, she heard Shane say "Maybe we should ask Nani." Maddy made her first appearance since the Thunder visit. She inwardly flinched as she looked at the spot she had been in when they entered, how she had tried to fight them off, how she wasn't good enough.

"Sorry to disappoint, but that won't be necessary." Maddy smirked as she entered. Tori, Shane's and Dustin's faces were identical masks of relief.

"Where were you yesterday? We had to fight off a freaky goon, and you didn't answer your morpher." Shane said, almost accusingly. Maddy gave him the eye.

"I didn't hear it." Maddy said honestly, annoyed Shane thought she had been slacking. Dustin looked surprised.

"Dude, it's kinda loud." Dustin pointed out. Cam nodded.

"How didn't you hear it? I programmed it to be loud enough to wake someone up." Cam asked. The teens all looked at the Lightning Ninja, who blushed at being the center of attention.

"Yeah, but in my defense, I was asleep for over 24 hours. And my right wrist was tucked under my pillow, therefore muffling the beeping." Maddy defended.

"Makes sense. But you did miss an interesting fight yesterday." Tori said. Maddy raised an eyebrow.

"What happened? And if you tell me you lost-"Maddy began, but Dustin stopped her.

"Nah, we won. Score's 6-0. But there was a freaky plant monster, and we got trapped in a planter, and Cam fought Kelzaks, and we ran!" Dustin said, smiling. Maddy was lost.

"Dude, no offense, but that made no sense. Anybody else want to add onto that?" Maddy asked. The mainframe beeped. Cam swiveled his chair around to face the mainframe, as Shane, Maddy, Tori, Dustin and Sensei gathered around him, Sensei jumping off the Yellow Ranger's head again. An image of Blue Bay popped up.

"Downtown." Cam announced as a monster appeared, shooting lasers at innocent civilians. Maddy's blood boiled. What kind of evil creature attacks unarmed opponents? Oh yeah, Thunder Rangers and Lothor, apparently. Maddy thought bitterly. She stepped back into her position as they prepared to morph.

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form, HA!" The teens shouted together. Maddy felt her suit encase her body, and he helmet hide her face. It was nice to be back.

"Power of Lightning!" Maddy shouted. Maddy turned and sprinted up the stairs, her friends behind her.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

The four teens arrived in downtown Blue By quickly. They came out of Ninja Streak and the sound that met them was absolute silence. All around them were stone statues of people. Maddy was the first to recover.

"Holy crap…"Maddy breathed angrily. Every man, woman and child had been turned into statues.

"Everyone's frozen!" Shane said angrily, and he looked around for the goon that caused it.

"Like in the White Witches Castle." Maddy muttered. They were looking for a brightly colored goon, that would supposedly be laughing at his victims. Dustin found him.

"There!" The Earth Ninja shouted, pointing at a stone figure. The teens sprinted him, but the monster didn't react. The monster was gray stone, head to toe, and appeared to be frozen. His cape was frozen in mid ruffle, his cannon drawn. He stood towering over the Rangers, Maddy especially. Being short sucked. Maddy thought. Tori cautiously walked up to the monster and wiggled her fingers in his face.

"Is he…frozen?" Tori asked, as waved her hand at him. Maddy kicked at his foot. No response.

"Maybe he's asleep." Dustin pointed out happily. Maddy glanced at her friend. She loved Dustin, but sometimes he didn't think about what he was saying.

"I don't think he's asleep, did he fire into a mirror, maybe?" Shane asked, as he leaned in to get a closer look. Maddy shrugged.

"I'll call Cam." Maddy stated, and she walked a pace away so she could study the monster. Tori poked his nose, as Shane leaned in to get a better look at his face. Right as Maddy clicked her comm button, the monster sprang to life.

"Gotcha, Rangers." The monster snarled, as he shot his cannon. Maddy yelped with surprise. Tori froze and was covered with rock, her finger pointing forward at the monster's nose, while Shane was leaning in, and Dustin's foot was kicking.

"Guys!" Maddy shouted. Her friends didn't move. The monster laughed. Maddy turned to face him.

"How dare you?" Maddy snarled as she fell into a defensive position.

"No, how dare YOU challenge the mighty Rockator?" The monster spit. Maddy cocked an eyebrow.

"Mighty like the Thunders? Or maybe Zurgane in his Megazord? Oh wait, I think that the Thunders are good now, and that Zurganie's Megazord is in pieces." Maddy smirked. Rockator snarled and fired several blasts at the Lightning Ninja. Hit a nerve there. Maddy thought as she gracefully dodged the blasts.

"I am better! Which is why my Master, the Mighty Lothor, has selected me to capture you." Rockator bragged. Maddy's blood ran cold. Seriously? Lothor wanted her again? Jerk.

"Or maybe he picked you because he was sick of your butt kissing. Lightning Bow!" Maddy shouted, and drew her bow. Rockator snarled and charged. Maddy danced out of his reach, and fired several of her purple lasers. They hit him dead on, but Rockator didn't even flinch, he just kept charging and firing blasts. For a guy made of stone, Maddy mused, he sure can run like the dickens.

"Ninja sword!" Maddy shouted, and after ducking under a blast, she charged straight to Rockator and slammed him with her sword. Rockator reacted quickly and drew his own sword, which was, of course, made of stone. Maddy's sword let out a horrible groaning noise as it bent backwards, little by little. Maddy tried for the kick in the stomach move, but all she got was a sore foot. Ow. She turned to run farther away, to buy more time, but Rockator grabbed Maddy by her neck and yanked her up to meet his eyes. Maddy struggled for air and tried to free herself.

"You little fool. I have the upper hand now." Rockator laughed. "Goodbye, Lightning." He dropped her with a dull thud and raised his sword. Maddy gasped as the air was knocked out of her, and she tried desperately to get herself moving, but she couldn't make her brain work for anything besides gulping in air. Maddy closed her eyes. So this is how it ended? She would get sliced in two, for all of Blue Bay to see? Sad. Maddy could feel the sword whooshing downwards to destroy her, but there was a POP, and Maddy cracked open her eyes to find Rockator gone. She stood up on shaky legs, wondering where the monster had gone, but she wasn't gonna question it. She walked over and tapped Tori's shoulder, then Shane's, then Dustin's. No response or even a sign of life from any of her friends. Maddy sighed, and clicked her comlink.

"Cam, we've got a problem." Maddy began.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Rockator's sword slammed into the floor of the bridge of Lothor's ship. When he realized where he was, he bowed instantly.

"My lord." Rockator said reverently. Lothor snorted.

"Get up you fool. You completely ignored my instructions." Lothor snarled. Zurgane stood next to his master, waiting for him to continue. Rockator's mouth dropped open as he rose, but kept his head bowed.

"My lord, you said to destroy or immobilize the Rangers." Rockator murmured. Zurgane spoke up.

"Not the purple, you incompetent fool. She is the key to all our plans. She unimaginable powers we could use to our advantage." Zurgane snapped. Rockator frowned.

"My lord, I apologize for my failings. I will do better next time." Rockator apologized, and Lothor dismissed it with a wave of the hand.

"You better. For now, we will wait and lure them into a false sense of security." Lothor instructed. Rockator bowed deeply and left.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy entered Ops, still morphed and holding her sword. Cam didn't turn from his computer.

"I took readings of the people, and they're all normal, just encased in a layer of rock. It's like they're sleeping." Cam explained. He turned around to face Maddy, and looked startled to see her in morph. Maddy was confused.

"What?" She asked Cam. Then she looked at herself. "Oh. Ninja Storm!" Maddy said, and her suit fell away, leaving Maddy holding her sword. "I tried to whack at the rock-dude, but it didn't work out." Maddy explained. Cam took the sword and looked at it.

"It didn't actually break, so technically it should straighten itself out when it's not in use." Cam said, and he clicked something on it, and it disappeared. I seriously need to ask where exactly It goes. Maddy thought. She toyed with the necklace that sparkled against her neck.

"So, can we turn the people back?" Maddy asked. Cam nodded.

"Yes, but Rockator has to be destroyed before anyone can be free." Cam affirmed. Maddy groaned.

"How can I blow him up when my weapons were useless? I fired my bow at point blank range and he didn't flinch!" Maddy exclaimed. Sensei's whiskers twitched.

"Madison, I know of a weapon that could aid you in your fight." Sensei said. Maddy turned to face him.

"What is it?" Maddy asked curiously. Maybe it was a thunder-staffy-thing! Those were some pretty awesome sticks.

"It's called the Sword of Lightning. It can only be wielded by a Lightning Ninja, and can conquer almost anything." Sensei explained. Maddy smiled.

"Cool. So where can I get the sword?" Maddy asked excitedly. Sensei's whiskers twitched.  
"Its exact location is unknown. The sword was sealed away in Mount Storm, which is just outside of academy grounds. It is accessible only through a key that all Lightning Ninjas possess and protect. You must let your Inner Ninja guide you to the sword." Sensei explained. Maddy nodded.

"Well, I guess I'm off to find a sword." Maddy said cheerfully, and she turned to leave, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy trudged through the woods on Mount Storm. So far, her 'inner ninja' had obviously been sleeping. Maddy suspected she had been wandering around in circles. She sighed and flopped on a mossy rock to think. All those people, and her friends were depending on her. She couldn't let them down. She had to focus. Maddy closed her eyes. Focus. She thought. A fuzzy image began to appear in her head. A cliff-face. The sun's rays aimed right into a small crevice that could be a cave. Maddy's eyes snapped open and she looked up. The same image was recreated before her. There was a cave opening half way up. She could either waste a bunch of time getting rock rappelling stuff, or she could free climb.

"Well" Maddy muttered. "Rock climbing it is." She hooked her foot into a crevice, then pulled herself up. She put her hand in another crevice, praying that nothing creepy or crawly was making their home in it. She kept going, repeating the pattern, avoiding looking down. Maddy looked up. Almost there, almost there. Maddy chanted. She got her arms hooked on a rock, and tried to boost herself up. It worked, until her feet slipped. Maddy screamed as she dangled over the face of the cliff, clinging for dear life to the rock. She made the mistake of looking down to find a foothold. The forest seemed so far below her. Her head spun, and Maddy was worried she faint and fall. Her arms were hurting. Suddenly, a hand appeared above her.

"Trust me, Madison. I won't let you fall." The mysterious voice said. Maddy was frozen. Weird voice knew her name, and knew what she was doing. The hand remained there, ready to help her.

"But what if you can't hold me?" Maddy asked meekly. 'What if I kill us both?"

"You won't. Trust me, Madison." The voice replied, and Maddy nervously let one hand release the rock, and grab the mysterious hand. The person pulled her up. Maddy sank to the smooth stone floor of the cave. When she looked up to thank whoever had saved her, she was alone.

"Okaayyy, weird, but thanks!" Maddy shouted, hoping whoever saved her had heard her. She stood up and looked around the cave. The walls were perfectly smooth, and there were torches that were lit every few paces, as if someone had known she was coming. Her footsteps echoed as she walked down the tunnel. She reached the end in no time, and a purple light illuminated the end wall. A sword was embedded in the wall, glowing. Maddy reached out to take it, but her fingers met cold rock. The sword shimmered just beyond her reach. Maddy looked around, for a button or a lever, anything. She was met with smooth rock wherever she looked. She kicked at the wall.

"How can I save the people if I can't get the sword out?" Maddy exclaimed, her voice echoing. Sensei's voice popped into her head. It is accessible only through a key that all Lightning Ninjas possess and protect. Key.  
"I don't have a key! My mom didn't know I would do this, I don't know where it is! I don't know what it is!" Maddy snapped. Maybe she had to blast it? Maddy closed her eyes, and drew the energy from her powers. Sure enough, a small sphere of purple lighting, about the size of a baseball, had appeared. Maddy shot it at the wall, but it merely absorbed it. What can I do? If I fail, everyone's done. Game over. Maddy suddenly realized something. Her necklace. Maddy remembered what her mom had said when she gave it to her when she turned 10.

"_A younger Maddy squealed as she picked up a sparkling heart necklace from the purple box. Her mom smiled._

"_Maddy, in honor of you turning ten, I'm giving you this very special necklace. It was mine, and Grandma's and Grandma's Grandma's. It's been a special tradition to pass the necklace down from mother to daughter when she turns ten. You must keep it safe, and when the time comes, pass it on to your daughter." Maddy wrinkled her nose._

"_I'm not getting married. Boys are yucky." Maddy declared, and her dad laughed. Maddy's mom laughed too, but continued._

"_Always keep it safe, it's very important." Maddy's mom instructed. Maddy nodded, and her mom fastened the clasp around her neck._

The necklace. That's it. That's the key! Maddy's hands shook with nervousness and excitement as she undid the clasp of her necklace. The necklace shimmed in Maddy's hand, and she held it out, and the necklace glowed. Maddy placed the necklace against the wall, and a blast of purple light momentarily blinded Maddy. When she opened her eyes, the sword lay in her hands, her necklace in her hand as well.

"Whoa." Maddy breathed as she held the sword up. Purple snaked up the gold hilt, and the silver blade gleamed, even in the darkness. Maddy stared in awe at the sword. Her morpher beeped, breaking the silence.

"Maddy, Rockator is back, downtown again. Did you find the sword?" Cam asked. Maddy grinned, though he couldn't see her.

"Yep. I'm on my way." Maddy replied. With a pleased smile on her face, she fell into her morphing position.

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form, HA! Power of Lightning!" Maddy shouted. Feeling energized and ready to take on Rockator, Maddy Ninja-Streaked away.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Rockator laughed as he blasted more people. Everyone was still frozen in place from before as well. As Maddy arrived on the scene, she saw an all-too familiar face. Nani. Rockator was aiming his laser at her.

"HEY UGLY!" Maddy shouted, trying to pitch her voice lower so Nani wouldn't recognize her.

"Ahh, Lightning Ranger. So you're back for more." Rockator laughed cruelly. Maddy groaned inwardly. Her cover was blown. Oh well.

"Yeah. I am. Step away from her." Maddy ordered. "It's me you want, fight me." Rockator laughed and let Nani leave. Nani shot a glance at her granddaughter that said good luck, and we need to talk. Maddy barely nodded, and Nani left. Rockator walked towards her and laughed.

"Why do you think this time will make a difference? Your puny weapons can't harm me. I will win and take you to Master Lothor." Maddy laughed.

"Still buttkissing, I see. But I have a new toy I wanna try out. LIGHTNING SWORD!" Maddy shouted as the powerful sword appeared. Rockator visibly flinched. "Sky is brightening, with the POWER OF LIGHTNING!" Maddy shrieked. She could feel the sword's energy empowering her, and she charged. Rockator fired and Maddy used the Lightning Sword to bat it away like a baseball. Maddy slammed the Lightning Sword at Rockator, only to have it be met with his sword. Maddy gritted her teeth and pushed as hard as she could, knocking Rockator's sword away. HE went sprawling backwards, almost slamming into a human statue. Maddy cornered him.

"Who's the fool now, huh? Think your master will be proud of you now?" Maddy taunted.

"Lightning Sword! Final Strike!" Maddy shouted. A bolt of purple lightning slammed down into the sword, charging it up until it glowed purple. Maddy sliced the air, sending a wave of purple energy towards Rockator. It slammed him.

"No!" Rockator whined as he blew. Maddy grinned. Then Rockator returned.

"Cam, it's Zord time!" Maddy called cheerfully into the comm. She heard the tappity-tap of the keyboard.

"They're on their way." The tech genius said, and sure enough, the Zords appeared. Maddy leapt into PantherZord.

"Hey, didja miss me yesterday, Zordy?" Maddy cooed as she leapt into her control panel. She loved her Zord to death. I mean, giant fighting machine that makes stuff go boom. Who wouldn't love that? Maddy wondered cheerfully. The comm crackled.

"Maddy, I'm sending you the disk to control the Megazord by yourself. The others should return to normal after you beat Rockator in Megamode." Cam said. Maddy smiled.

"Thanks Cam!" Maddy said cheerfully, and got down to work. "Ok, Rockator, let's tango." Maddy muttered as she made the Megazord walk forward. Rockator drew his sword.

"Just because we're in the air doesn't mean you can escape my powers!" Rockator snarled as he shot his rock cannon. Maddy made the Megazord leapt out of the way. She raised the left arm of the Megazord and moved the fingers in the 'come at me' signal. Rockator took the bait and snarled. He ran towards the Megazord and slammed it with his sword. The Megazord staggered backwards, but Maddy caught it before it fell. She looked across the panel at the array of weapons she could use. She saw one that caught her attention. Smirking, she called it.

"Lightning Sword, Megapower!" Maddy shouted, and the Megazord got a giant version of Maddy's new toy. "Final strike!" Like It had earlier, the lightning charged up the blade. "Hey-YAH!" Maddy shouted. The purple beam slammed into Rockator, who teetered dangerously.

"It was you who was supposed to hit rock bottom, not me!" Rockator shrieked as he fell backwards and exploded. Maddy cheered.

"Another one bites the dust! The official score is now Rangers 7, Lothor fat lotta nothing!" Maddy laughed, and she headed back to Ninja Ops.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Tori, Shane and Dustin had already arrived when Maddy sauntered in a little while later. Her footfalls echoed on the stairway. Her friends turned towards the door as she entered.

"Dude, that was a pretty awesome sword." Dustin said in congratulations as he high-fived her.

"Yeah. Why'd you get a present?" Shane mock-whined, and Maddy laughed.

"I got a present for almost falling off a cliff face. Still jealous?" Maddy shot back playfully.

"I take it back. I like my sword and my Hawk Blaster just fine." Shane amended, and Tori laughed.

"Seriously, though, good job Maddy. I was paying attention to something other than the sword." Tori said as she gave a meaningful glance at the guys, who looked down in mock shame.

"Moving on, I do have a problem." Maddy stated nervously. Her friends all looked at her worriedly. "Lightning Ninjas can only be direct descendants, right?" When Sensei nodded, Maddy continued. "So, when I had to fight downtown today, Nani was there, and she heard Lothor's goon call me a Lightning Ninja. What should I do?" Maddy asked nervously. Sensei's whiskers twitched.

"This is most unfortunate, but cannot be helped." Sensei said as his whiskers twitched again.

"She did graduate from the academy, and she knows to keep it a secret. She wouldn't betray our trust." Maddy added. Sensei finally nodded.

"You have my permission to speak of what has happened." Sensei said, and Maddy nodded gratefully.

"Yes Sensei. I'll see you guys later." Maddy called over her shoulder and she headed out. As she exited, the sun was slowly beginning it's descent from the sky.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy entered the house, prepared to make her case to her grandmother. She heard several unfamiliar voices.

"Nani? I'm home." Maddy called. No one answered, but the unfamiliar voices continued. She recognized Nani's, and she vaguely recognized the second. It was high-pitched and whiney. A neighbor, maybe? Oh well. Nani would get her when it was time for supper, so Maddy wandered upstairs to her room. The door was closed, but Maddy could hear someone inside. What? Who the heck could be in her room? Maddy took a deep breath, and flung the door open. Inside, a platinum blond jumped in surprise, dropping the book she had been holding. The girl wore tiny jean shorty-shorts, a green itty-bitty tank top that glowed against her blonde hair. Maddy glared at her.

"Who the heck are you? And why are you in my room, going through my belongings?" Maddy snarled. The platinum blonde smirked.

"Don't you recognize me, my dear cousin?" The blonde's voice dripped with false cheer. Mackenzie.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

**There ya go! Once again, would have been up sooner, but I got seriously addicted to TMNT fanfiction. Either way, thanks for reading, and lemme know your thoughts on the chapter.**


	9. Chapter 9: Maddy's Challenge Continues

**A/N-Ok. I officially am awful. I just left you guys hanging, I am so, so, so sorry! This chapter will focus more on relationships and stuff that Maddy develops with her cousins. I feel like if I try to include Return of Thunder mixed in with the cousin issues that would be confusing and chaotic. So I decided to once again do my own chapter, and get working on Return of Thunder #1 tomorrow. Another thing, you will also get to see a glimpse of Maddy's angry side, so beware! :)**

**~weathergirl17248**

_**Disclaimer!-I am not Haim Saban. I still don't own Power Rangers, although Ninja Storm was made by Disney; I would also like to say I don't own the songs Eye of the Tiger or Gonna Fly Now. Enjoy!**_

* * *

Maddy gaped at the smirking platinum blonde before her.

"I don't care if you're my cousin, heck, you could be Britney Spears for all I care, you have no right to be in her going through my stuff." Maddy snapped as she scooped up the book Mackenzie had been going through off the floor. Maddy glanced at it. Diary. She had been reading Maddy's diary. A rush of dread swept through Maddy. How far had Mackenzie gotten?

"Get out. Now." Maddy ordered coldly. The blonde laughed.

"Can't. This is my room too for the next couple of weeks." Mackenzie shot back. Maddy cocked an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah? Then why don't you give me time to 'rearrange'?" Maddy asked sarcastically, and she shoved Mackenzie into the hallway, slammed the door and locked it. She frantically yanked her cellphone out of her pocket and dialed Tori.

"Hey, what's up?" Her friend's calm voice asked. Maddy heard the crashing of the waves in the background.

"Got home, voices, someone in my room, Mackenzie, diary, kicked her out." Maddy blurted in a panicked rush.

"Maddy, take a deep breath, and try again." Tori advised her panicked friend, although she wondered what could have caused her cheerful friend to panic.

"I got home and heard voices downstairs, headed up to my room, and my cousin Mackenzie was in here looking through my diary, mention the fact I have a diary to anyone and you shall be dead, and she told me I had to share my room with her for however long they're here." Maddy explained slower. "Since I don't know how long that is, I'll have to find somewhere to lock everything valuable of mine."

"I still don't understand why you think your cousins and your aunt are evil." Tori stated.  
"Well, my aunt's trying to convince Nani to let Mackenzie…."Maddy trailed off, realizing she probably shouldn't blow the Samurai secret. "When I stayed at their house a couple summers ago, they all hated me. Like, bratty Grayson switched my shampoo with a bottle of HONEY. HONEY, for Pete's sake! It took me HOURS to get the crud out of my hair. I don't know what to do." Maddy exclaimed, and she paced around her room.

"Well, since I have a lack of evil cousins, I'd just advise to kill her with kindness. And if that doesn't work, well, we're ninjas. If we need to hide anything, evidence in particular, shouldn't be too difficult." Maddy heard the smirk in her friend's voice and sighed.

"If only I had your confidence. If I don't see you tomorrow or later, you may want to make sure we haven't killed each other yet." Maddy laughed.

"Just remember, if you need help hiding evidence…"Her friend began, and Maddy laughed again.

"Thanks Tori, you're amazing. I'll try to sneak out later, but until then, I need to fund a box with a lock for my stuff. Bye!" Maddy said as she ended the conversation. She started making a pile of stuff that needed to be locked up. Maddy jotted down a list of things to hide, and started working. Sketchbook, diary, DVD's, easel and big sketchbook, dance trophies, and finally her Ninja uniform. Maddy held her uniform, studying it. The purple edging, the crest on in, if that was found, she was screwed many times over. Maddy gently laid it on top of the container and secured the lid, clicked the lock shut, pushed the box to the back of her closet and heaved a sigh of relief. Maddy unlocked the door. When nobody came charging in, she relaxed a bit more. Looking at her clock, it was only 3:34. Still time to get some laps in at the track, Maddy reasoned. After a quick change into her purple riding gear, she pulled her bouncy curls back into a ponytail and packed her bag. Maddy snuck out of her bedroom, backpack slung over her shoulder, helmet under her arm. As she crept down the hallway with the stealth of a ninja, avoiding the squeaky floorboards, she realized something. She lived here. So why was she sneaking around? It's not like Belinda or Mackenzie could stop her. Maddy gave up her stealth as she sauntered downstairs. If I get caught, at least I'll look pretty awesome while getting caught. When nobody stopped her, Maddy breathed a sigh of relief, and ventured into the backyard. Her bike was just as she left it, shiny clean and practically sparkling in the sunlight where it sat next to the gardening shed. Waiting to get dirty. Challenge accepted. Maddy thought gleefully as she hopped on. She pulled her helmet over her head and started the engine. Without a backwards glance, Maddy sped off.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy was back home at 5:30 on the nose. She had raced Dustin several times, and raced whoever felt like racing with them. Racing had been amazing. She had almost forgot about her family predicament. She heard pots and pans inside as she got her bike parked and cleaned. She had a routine after riding. Maddy would fill up the bucket she kept in the shed with water and put soap in it, and use a rag to clean up her bike. She liked a clean bike. Once the bucket of sudsy water was ready, Maddy began slowly rubbing off the mud that had been plastered on her bike. Maddy began to rub the bike down, checking for any missed dirt. She was almost finished with the body of the bike and was switching to the handlebar when the back door slammed. Maddy glanced up to see a tall, well muscled boy standing there, glaring at her with obvious contempt. Must be Grayson. He looked different from when she last saw him. Grayson crossed the yard to the gardening shed in three quick strides. Maddy had to tilt her head back to look at him. His longer blond hair was slightly curled as it hung over his left eye.

"Uh, hi. Your name is Grayson, right? Do you go by Gray or anything?" Maddy asked politely. He just stood staring down at her. It was making her nervous.

"My friends and family call me Gray. You are neither. Call me Grayson." He snarled coldly. Ouch, Maddy thought. She kept the hurt look off her face.

"Okayyy. Did you need something?" Maddy asked, and he just glared at her.

"What I need to know is why you're here." Grayson snarled. He wore a menacing look on his face, and it was making the petite brunette a bit nervous.

"Umm, I thought your mom or sister told you. I live here." Maddy said, putting emphasis on the live. It was ironic; Maddy thought; I have two years on him, but he has probably 100 pounds and several inches on me.

"What? Did your good-for-nothing dad finally abandon you? Come to his senses, did he?" Grayson asked with a smile on his face. Maddy leapt to her feet.

"You take that back." Maddy snarled, her voice shaking with rage. Grayson laughed.

"Oh no, is the little ballerina coming to get me? I better go hide." Grayson mocked as he leaned down to get in her face. Maddy balled her fist and punched him with all her strength square in the nose. He yelped and staggered backwards, as his nose began to gush blood.

"Why you little-"Grayson began, then he switched tactics. "Mooooommmmmm!" Grayson howled, pretending he was on the verge of tears, and he fell to the ground like Maddy had punched his lights out. Maddy was frozen in shock, and her right hand was still balled in a perfect fist, blood from Grayson's nose running down it. She heard thundering footsteps echo through the house and Belinda herself appeared, along with Nani. Belinda was a rather heavyset woman with frizzy brown hair and a muffin top. Her little beady brown eyes searched the yard for her son, and when she found him, she ran to him.

"Oh, my poor sweet baby, what happened?" Belinda crooned. Maddy was frozen, and Nani walked over to her shocked granddaughter and put an arm on her shoulder.

"I-I came out to say hi to Maddy and when I said how much I missed her, she said yeah right and punched me in the nose." Grayson sobbed. Maddy came out of her shock.

"That is a lie." Maddy said angrily. She looked at Belinda, willing her to believe her. All she received was a cold glare.

"Can you stand, baby? I'll take you inside, and we'll deal with Madison later." Belinda said, ignoring Maddy. When he nodded, Belinda led 'poor baby' Grayson away and into the house. Maddy stared after them.

"That's not how it went. It's not." Maddy whispered. Nani heard her, and turned her stunned granddaughter to face her. Maddy expected Nani to believe her and tell her she backed her up. Instead, Nani looked very serious.

"Maddy, why don't you tell me what happened." Nani said as she led her granddaughter over to the porch swing. They sat down and Maddy began her tale.

"Well, I was out here and I had just gotten home from, doing stuff," Maddy said, knowing Nani would understand what 'stuff' Maddy meant; "And I walk in my room to find that, that Mackenzie chick in my room going through my diary. And she's like, oh, I'm your roomie now. What's up with that?! And then I kicked her out of my room, put all my valuable or possibly incriminating stuff like my uniform, and duck taped the box shut and put it in my closet. She's probably cutting the ducktape right now. I was frustrated, so I went to the track, raced some killer laps with Dustin and some other guys, and then I came back to clean off my bike as usual. Then Grayson comes out and he's just staring at me, so I'm like, hi Grayson, or do you go by Gray, and he's like, my friends and family call me Gray, and you are neither. So I went back to working, and he kept staring, so I asked if he needed anything and he said he wanted to know why I was here, and I told him I lived here, and he said, word for word, did your good-for-nothing dad finally abandon you? Come to his senses, did he? So I told him to take it back, and he's like, oh, no, the little ballerina's coming to get me, and I punched him in the face, then he's like, you little-then he made himself cry." Maddy blurted out in a rush, looking like she was on the verge of tears herself. Nani looked thoughtful.

"Maddy I think you and Gray just had a misunderstanding. I'm sure if you apologize-

"But I didn't do anything!" Maddy exclaimed. Nani sighed.

"Regardless of what happened, you punched him in the nose. That was taking it a bit far."

"He called my father, who I love, a no-account! He deserved it." Maddy exclaimed. She rarely argued with Nani, but she had to defend her dad.

"I understand, but I think it's best for you to apologize to Gray." Nani said. Maddy frowned.

"I refuse to apologize to that son of a-." Maddy began, but stopped when she saw Nani's raised eyebrow. Maddy didn't curse, unless she was really, very, rightfully, angry. And even then, she avoided cursing.

"Maddy, why don't you go up to your room, and I'll call you when dinner is ready. I would like you to apologize to your cousin." Maddy shook her head, but left to go to her room. She pounded up the stairs, and threw open her bedroom door.

She found Mackenzie sprawled across her chair, talking on the phone. She was oblivious to Maddy's entrance.

"And I was like, oh no you didn't! And she was like, wanna bet, and I'm like, go ahead and try. Ehmahgawsh, she's such a hopeless loser. She sorta reminds me of my cousin. Yeah, I know, she's like, weird." Mackenzie complained to whatever snobby friend she had on the phone with her. Maddy stood there.

"Get out of my room." Maddy ordered, and Mackenzie just waved her off, like she was the intruder. Maddy lost it, and used her power to fry her cousin's phone. It shot purple sparks and died.

"What do you want?" Mackenzie asked. Maddy laughed.

"What I want? I want you out of my room, heck, out of my life. You've been here for under 3 hours and I already have a burning hatred for you and that spoiled brat you call a brother. Get. OUT!" Maddy yelled, and Mackenzie realized it was a bad time to tick Maddy off, and she left. Maddy slammed the door shut and locked it. Being a nice, friendly patient cousin was going to be a lot harder than she thought. Maddy grabbed her phone and called Tori.

"Tori? You know how you said kill em' with kindness? Well, I might end up killing them. Period."

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy stared at her dinner plate while Mackenzie and Grayson went on and on about their amazing accomplishments. Mackenzie was a lead cheerleader, on an elite dance team, well as playing on the varsity volleyball team. Grayson won the middle school geography bee, was middle school student council president, and played on an elite California soccer team. Maddy felt like a hopeless loser next to them.

"And then the final question was like, what state's capital was nicknamed Pig's Eye, and I rang in before Allison Reuter, and I got it with Iowa." Grayson was giving a play-by-play of the middle school geography bee. Maddy could care less.

"How'd you do at regionals?" Maddy asked politely. Grayson, Mackenzie and Belinda pointedly ignored her.

"Now it's my turn, Gray. So, during the beginning of the summer, there was a tryout for 8th graders for high-school cheerleading. I went, and we did like, 2 weeks of training. It was obvious my only competition was Lauren O'Neil." Mackenzie began, and Maddy zoned out. When was she gonna talk to Nani about the whole Power Ranger thing? Maybe she could get Nani to come down to the basement training dojo…after people were asleep? Maybe if-  
"Madison." Belinda said sharply. Maddy glanced up, startled.

"Yes ma'am?" Maddy asked nervously.  
"You ought to pay attention more." Belinda reprimanded. "I asked you what you do. Hobbies."

"Umm…"Crap. Maddy thought. What do I say? Oh, in my spare time, I help save the world while wearing Purple Spandex. Did I mention my Power Ranger team's mentor is a guinea pig? And the guy I like has tried to kill me, and he kidnapped me once. "I do martial arts." Belinda snorted.

"Like your father, I suppose." Belinda said. It obviously wasn't meant as a compliment. Maddy bristled.

"I also surf and race." Maddy added, her voice threaded with tension.

"Race what? Tricycles?" Mackenzie sniped. Maddy glared at her.

"If you call 125 motocross bikes tricycles, than yeah. I race tricycles." Maddy shot back. Nani gave Maddy a warning look.

"I thought that was a dude sport." Mackenzie stated innocently, but Maddy could see the taunting expression in her eyes.

"I thought cheerleading was for bratty little snobs. Oh wait, that fits you to a T." Maddy snarled. Nani gave her a sharp look. Mackenzie put on a fake hurt look.

"Don't you speak to my daughter that way, you little brat." Belinda ordered. Maddy ignored her. She was already gonna be in trouble, so why not go for the gold? All in. Maddy thought.

"Madison. Apologize." Nani ordered sharply. Maddy shook her head and laughed without mirth.

"For telling the truth?" Maddy laughed. She stood up from the table and left the room. She opened the door to the basement dojo, and once she was inside, she slammed it shut. Making sure nobody tried to come down, Maddy locked the door. She thundered down the stairs, her footsteps echoing in the enclosed space, and her flip-flops made it extra noisy. When she reached the bottom and clicked on the light, everything was in perfect order, as usual, all the training Katanas in their stand, stuff like that. Maddy kicked off her shoes, and stepped onto the soft mat. Maddy grabbed a sword and started training, but it felt, well, awkwardly silent. The only sound was the hollow thud of the wooden katana against the training dummy as Maddy took out her frustrations.

"Shoulda grabbed my iPod." Maddy muttered. The silence was annoying. Then Maddy spied something black out of the corner of her eye and turned. A radio. Probably older than she was. There was a stack of CD's next to it. Awesome. Maddy picked up the CD on top. The case had a man punching his boxing-glove clad fist in the air while wearing a US flag cape. Maddy vaguely remembered seeing the Rocky movies when she was younger. Oh well, music is music. Maddy popped the CD in the player and hit play. It whirred to life as Maddy picked her sword up. The opening notes of Gonna Fly Now echoed through the basement. She picked up the wooden katana and attacked the practice dummy with a vengeance, going through her first kata. She didn't envision a Mooger or a Kelzak like usual as she beat the training dummy. She pictured her evil cousins.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Upstairs, Nani made sure her daughter and granddaughter and grandson weren't hovering, and used her key to unlock the basement door. She had let Maddy remain downstairs and blow off steam, while she visited with her other grandchildren. The others had gone to bed, Mackenzie was on the floor of Maddy's room in a sleeping bag until something else could be arranged. They hadn't been expected to visit for several more weeks. Nani had arrived home after the incident with Rockator, still in a bit of shock after discovering that Maddy was a Ranger, and to her surprise, she had found her daughter and grandchildren waiting on the porch. Nani turned the key, and heard the strains of Eye of the Tiger echoing up the stairs. She soundlessly closed the door, and silently walked down the stairs, and found Maddy still training, beating the crud out of the training dummy like it was Master Xandred himself. Nani leaned against the doorframe, watching her granddaughter train. She knew Maddy had been the right choice for the Samurai lineage, like her mother had been. Choosing one of the two girls had been the hardest thing Nani had ever done, but she was sure she made the right choice. As the music faded out and you heard Rocky's voice, Maddy shouted along with it.

"Yo Adrian! I DID IT!" Maddy cheered, and then she seemed to realize she was being watched, and turned. With her slightly embarassed expression, Nani had a glimpse of what her daughter had looked like at that age.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy had both Eye of the Tiger and Gonna Fly Now memorized by that time. As Gonna Fly Now began again, Maddy glanced at her watch, and gasped in shock. It was 9:45?! Maddy had escaped from upstairs over 2 hours ago. She readied her sword again and attacked. The music was inspirational. She needed it on her iPod. Maddy decided, and she bounced slightly to the beat. The song began to wind down, and the thwacks of the katana became lauder without the music, and Maddy dropped it, throwing her arms into the victory pose.

"Yo Adrian! I DID IT!" Maddy half-shouted, half cheered, and suddenly became aware of Nani watching. The blood rushed to her face as Nani walked closer.

"Uhh, hey Nani." Maddy said meekly. "When did you get down here?" She added.

"I've been watching for a little while. Your katas are really improving nicely. You've been practicing, and I admire your dedication." Nani complimented, and Maddy turned redder.

"Thanks. Are you-, I mean, are they," Maddy stuttered, and Nani smiled.

"Your cousins and aunt went to bed already. I do believe that before we go to bed, we need to have a chat." Nani explained. She sat down on the mat, and Maddy joined her after pausing the stereo.

"Well, where do you want to begin? And which thing are we discussing?" Maddy asked. Nani pondered that.

"How about the fact that you are the Purple Lightning Ranger? I must admit I am a bit curious about that." Nani laughed, and Maddy's nervousness eased.

"Well, it all started the 2nd day of class at the Academy." Maddy began, and Nani listened intently to her granddaughter's tale.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

**Well, there you have it! There is a crucial poll on my blog. Please, please, please vote! Leave me your thoughts. Thanks for reading, and I also regret to inform you that a hiatus will happen over the Christmas/holiday season. My school is taking in the laptops issued to students to be repaired and updated, so between December 21****st**** and January 7****th****, I might not be able to post, but I will bring you the best chapter ever when I return! New chapter should be up next week, if homework doesn't eat me alive. :) Once again, thank you to all who read. And if you can figure out what movie I'm referencing, you get a pairing sneak-peak! :)**

**~weathergirl17248**


	10. Chapter 10: Return of Thunder Part 1

**A/N-Sorry for late update, holidays and all. Check out the important poll on my profile, pretty please? I also had a 'duh' moment, i accidentally had the story under T for teen. XD Fail by me. R&R! :)**

**~Weathergirl17248**

**(Oh yeah, later in this chapter I use the term 'flyer'. For those of you not familiar with dance and gymnastics, that's the person who's getting lifted up and thrown into the air)**

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

**DISCLAIMER: Not Haim Saban, I don't own it, although Ninja Storm was made by Disney. I only own OC's, my own lines; you know the drill.**

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Late the next morning, Maddy was sprawled across one of the soft purple couches at Storm Chargers, clad in her motocross outfit. She was half-watching a motocross tape of Dustin with Tori and Dustin. Half watching, as in she would glance up from her sketchbook from time to time. Maddy looked up in time to see the rider onscreen screen speed across the finish line, snagging first place. As Dustin paused the tape, Maddy glanced down at the open sketchbook across her lap again, and back up at the paused tape, writing something.

"Yeah, Dustin! You looked really good out there." Tori complemented her yellow friend, who gave her a grin.

"Mmhhhm." Maddy murmured her agreement, as she looked back up at the paused screen, and made a few strokes with her pencil. Tori looked back at her friend.

"Whatcha drawing?" Tori asked, as she tried to see what Maddy was drawing. Maddy, with lightning fast reflexes, (**A/N: Hehe, no pun intended**) slammed her sketchbook shut, the force of it ruffling her loose curly hair around her forehead.

"No. No offense, but never, ever, will anyone other than MUAH see it." Maddy said curtly, and Tori gave her a pouty look, but turned back to Dustin. Maddy moved her attention to her yellow-clad friend as well.

"Now, all I've got to do is get some factory dudes to see the tapes." Dustin said longingly, looking at the screen. Maddy nodded.

"I think a factory team would be lucky to have you." Maddy encouraged her friend, and Dustin smiled back at her. The conversation was interrupted when a guy walked up. Maddy glanced up at him and gasped silently.

"Hey, I'm looking for Kelly Holloway?" The mystery man said. Dustin glanced strangely at Maddy's expression, and turned to the guy.

"Oh, sorry dude, she's not here right now, but can I help you?" Dustin asked, and he got up and finally got a good look at the man's face. Dustin's mouth dropped open.

"Dude! You're-" Dustin began excitedly, and the man smiled.

"Roger Hanna. Nice to meet you." Roger finished with a smile, and Maddy finally got over her shock enough to smile back. Tori nudged her.

"Who's Roger Hanna?" Tori asked curiously. Dustin beat Maddy to the punch.

"5 time motocross champ!" Dustin exclaimed excitedly.

"You forgot the most wins on the planet!" Maddy added, beaming. She couldn't believe she was in the same room as the great Roger Hanna! Ok, so that was creepy and fangirl-ish, Maddy mentally admitted.

"That might be a stretch." Roger said modestly. Something clicked in Dustin's brain.

"Aren't you the manager for Factory Blue? Oh, hey!" Dustin began digging through the pile of motocross tapes. Tori laughed awkwardly as Dustin finally found the tape.

"Hey, dude, watch this tape. I've been busting some pretty fast lap times-" Dustin began excitedly, but Hanna jumped in and stopped him.

"Maybe another time. I'm looking for some dudes in particular. Heard they ride at the local track sometimes." Roger began, and Maddy smacked her forehead.

"I bet I know who you're talking about!" Maddy said, with a slightly sad edge only Tori and Dustin picked up on.

"One big guy, one not so big, both insanely fast?" Dustin asked.

"Blake and Hunter?" Tori added. Roger nodded vigorously with a warm smile.

"That's them! So you know them? Where can I find them?" He asked excitedly. Maddy sighed and shook her head, looking at the ground. Roger looked confused at the girl's sadness.

"I wish I could tell you." Tori smiled sadly. The disappointment was evident on Roger's face.

"She really does. She's got this thing for-"Dustin began, and Tori smacked him on the arm.

"Dustin!" Tori snapped, and Maddy and Roger laughed.

"Well, if you run into them, here's my card. Tell them to call me, it's extremely important." Roger said, and he left.

"Yeah, sure." Dustin replied. "Wow, guys wasn't that the-" Dustin began, and he turned to face his friends only to find they were both gone. "Tori? Maddy?" Dustin asked. His eyes swept the shop, until he found Tori messing with his pride and joy, his precious bike, while Maddy was unhooking her helmet from the back of her own purple and blue bike. Dustin hurried over to his bike, desperate to protect it from Tori.

"Whoa, what are you doing with my bike?" Dustin asked nervously as he put himself between the Water Ninja and his bike. Tori brushed her hair out of her eyes as she stood up.

"I'm gonna take it out for a ride." Tori told him, as she reached out to grab the bike handle, but Dustin stopped her. Maddy was silently laughing at the expression on Dustin's face.

"No, see, the way that usually works is that you ask, and I think about it, and I say the only way that I would let you ride my race bike is if you tied me down and tortured me." Dustin proclaimed. Tori cocked an eyebrow.

"Do you want it to come to that?" Tori asked. Maddy started laughing out loud, but stopped when she saw Tori's serious face.

"Dude, she looks serious." Maddy whispered. Dustin sighed.

"Tori, it's my race bike. I just gave it a tune up, it's perfect! Why don't you ride Maddy's?" Dustin asked. Maddy shook her head.

"I'm going out to ride too. My baby is taken." Maddy replied, as she laid a protective hand on the handlebars, feeling the familiar rubber grips gently poke her palm.

"Look, I miss Blake. And riding makes me feel like he's still around. Cam keeps the Tsunami cycles under lock and key, this is as close as I can get. Please?" Tori pleaded. She looked at Dustin with a longing look, and Dustin sighed and caved.

"Alright. But if you bend the handlebars, or break the shifter off-" Dustin began nervously.

"I'll fix it, I know." Tori cut off her friend. Dustin glanced at Maddy's bike.

"Wait, how come your bike is here? I thought you kept it at Nani's." Dustin asked, and Maddy sighed.

"Not since those people arrived. I'm worried one of them is gonna mess with it." Maddy said sadly. It was depressing that she didn't feel like her bike was safe at home. Majorly.

"Oh, I'm sure they're not that bad." Dustin said, and Maddy frowned.

"Easy for you to say. You don't have to live with them." Maddy muttered as she wheeled her purple bike out of the store. Maddy yanked her helmet onto her head, and hopped on her bike. She started it up, and the soft roar of her engine was a comforting sound to hear. Maddy steered the bike into motion, and took off towards the mountains, the wind rushing through her helmet and roaring in her ears.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy rode through the deserted forest, the sunlight filtering through the tree's leaves. Little beams of sun danced along the ground and reflected off Maddy's helmet. Maddy welcomed the peacefulness of the ride. Well, she was used to the roar of the engines, so other than that, basically silent. Maddy suddenly heard another noise, different from the normal sounds of the forest. The whine of a 250-bike engine. Maddy didn't slow her bike down, but she sensed that someone was approaching. As Maddy jumped the next hill, another rider appeared beside her. Maddy glanced over, seeing a flash of crimson. Is that-nah, couldn't be. Lots of riders could wear crimson and ride 250's, right? Maddy mused, thinking about Hunter. She couldn't get her hopes up. Although, who else would have followed her all the way out here? She was at least 3 miles from town. Seeing a clearing in the trees up head, Maddy slowed her bike. The rider behind her did the same, Maddy could tell with the engine noise going from a higher roar to a soft rumbling, like thunder in the distance. As Maddy finally halted her bike in the sun-kissed clearing, letting the rider pull up beside her. The guy dismounted his bike, and pulled off his helmet, revealing brown eyes, messy blond hair and a lopsided smile. Hunter. Maddy pulled off her helmet, letting her hair spill out around her shoulders and midway down her back, curls dancing in the slight breeze. Hunter stared at her in awe. He thought she resembled an angel. Her hair blew around her shoulders, curls dancing, and the sunlight formed a halo around her head.

"Hey." Maddy breathed. "When did you get back?"

"Just now. I mean, a little while ago." Hunter replied.

"Have you talked to Dustin yet? He's got some great news for you and Blake." Maddy said shyly, tucking a wayward curl behind her ear.

"I think I've got some better news for you." Hunter replied, and Maddy raised an eyebrow.

"Better than Roger Hanna himself coming to Storm Chargers looking for you and Blake to see if you wanted to ride for Factory Blue?" Maddy asked, and a grin split Hunters face.

"Seriously?! Hunter asked excitedly, grinning. His smile made Maddy's heart skip a beat.

"I wouldn't joke about that." Maddy said seriously, but a smile danced in her eyes. Hunter calmed down a bit.

"Factory Blue, that's awesome, but I have even better news than that."

"What could be better than Factory Blue recruiting you guys?"

"What if I told you I could get us onto Lothor's ship?" Hunter asked, and Maddy froze.

"Seriously? How would you-I mean, what, when-?" Maddy sputtered, and Hunter held up a hand.

"So, this guy from Lothor's army calls us up, Chuboo, says he wants to defect, and gave me and Blake the password. We're going to try it out."

"What if it's a trick? You guys could be falling into a trap."

"That's why we're gonna go check it out. You guys can stay here, incase Lothor sends down any goons, Blue Bay isn't defenseless."

"But what about you? If something goes wrong-"

"You guys won't fall victim to the trap, and Blue Bay will be protected."

"You have to know the risk you're taking."

"We do." Hunter's morpher beeped, and he glanced down at it. "That's my signal, I've gotta go meet Blake. If we get in and it's legit, we'll call your team for backup." Hunter turned back to his bike, and pulled on his helmet. He started his bike, and started towards the edge of his clearing.

"Hunter!" Maddy yelled after him. Hunter stopped his bike and cut the engine. He turned back to Maddy with a questioning glance.

"Be careful. And come home safe." Maddy added, giving him a shy smile. Hunter smiled back at her, making her heart pound with excitement and butterflies dance in her stomach.

"I will, promise." Hunter said, and he started his bike again and took off. Maddy stood waiting until the noises of his bike disappeared. She brought her morpher up to her mouth.

"Shane, Tori, Dustin, can you guys read me?" Maddy asked, and when she got affirmative replies from her friends, she continued. "I need you to meet me at Ops. I just found out something huge."

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

"I don't buy it. Why would Chuboo suddenly defect?" Shane wondered aloud after Maddy had recounted her tale.

"I agree with Shane. It seems far too convenient." Sensei agreed, whiskers twitching.

"Well, Blake and Hunter said they'd check it out, and if they do get in, they won't attack until they can call us in for backup." Tori said. Blake had went out to find her as well. Probably made Tori pretty happy. Maddy mused thoughtfully.

"Well, that gives us time." Dustin said, and the others looked at him strangely.

"For what?" Maddy asked. Dustin looked at Tori with a friendly smirk.

"For Miss Freestyle-No Hand landing to fix my bike." Dustin exclaimed, and Shane was laughing. The somber mood in the room lightened as Tori tried to defend herself.

"It wasn't that bad, I just took a little spill." Tori defended herself. Dustin shook his head. Shane and Maddy laughed at her statement.

"Dude, the fender is facing backwards." Shane pointed out. Maddy nodded, a friendly smirk on her face. Tori groaned dramatically.

"Alright, alright." Tori conceded, and she turned to leave, Maddy following her. As soon as they were out of earshot of the guys, Maddy turned to Tori.

"Tori, do you actually know how to fix the bike?" Maddy asked, and Tori looked a bit nervous. She fiddled with her blonde hair.

"Not really. Will you help me?" Tori asked pleadingly. Maddy shook her head.

"I didn't break the bike. And I have stuff to do." Maddy said. "Important stuff. Like gymnastics and dance. They've kinda gotten pushed away, and I need to get back to it."

"Please?" Tori begged. Maddy caved.

"Oh, alright. Let's get it over with." Maddy sighed, and Tori grinned victoriously. Maddy was quiet on the walk back to the car, lost in her own thoughts. She was contemplating what had happened in the clearing with Hunter. Why did she get butterflies? It was just Hunter. Just Hunter with his adorably messy blonde hair, and warm blue eyes that shone when he smiled, and "Earth to Maddy!" Maddy shook it off.

"What?" Maddy asked. Tori raised a delicate blonde eyebrow.

"Where were you?" Tori asked again. Maddy was confused.

"What do you mean where was I? I've been walking next to you." Maddy said

"I meant what were you thinking about?" Tori asked. She watched Maddy turn a bright red.

"Nothing!" Maddy immediately answered. Tori smirked.

"Wow, for thinking about nothing your face is pretty red, Maddy. I think I know who you were thinking of." Tori teased her friend.

"Do you want me to fix the bike or not?" Maddy shot back with a smirk of her own, bright blue eyes dancing with mirth behind her glasses.

"Touché." Tori said, declaring it a draw as they climbed into the van.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

2 hours later, Maddy was flat on her back adjusting Dustin's bike. One final twist of the pliers and a quick tightening of the brake lines and she was done. She pushed herself out from under the bike and stood up. Maddy did a backbend to get the kinks out of her back, and ended up doing a walkover, because she felt like it. She didn't realize Hunter was watching until she stood up. Maddy turned a deep scarlet as he watched her.

"Uhh, hey." Maddy said shyly. Hunter didn't smile at her.

"Hey." He replied. Maddy waited. Was he gonna tell her how it went or what?

"So, how'd it go?" Maddy asked. Hunter shook his head.

"We're waiting for him now." Hunter said, a slightly cold edge to his voice.

"Who?" Maddy asked, dropping her voice several octaves. "Lothor?" She asked in disbelief. Hunter just waved his hand, like she was an annoying insect.

"Roger Hanna. I'll see you later Maddy." Hunter walked back over to the motocross display. Maddy stood there dumbfounded.

"Um, bye?" Maddy said, confused. Where was the nice and friendly Hunter from earlier? Maddy wondered. Nerves, maybe? They were about to find out if they got picked for Factory Blue. Maybe that's it. Maddy decided, but in her heart she knew something bigger was going on. According to her purple watch, it was 3:27pm. 2 hours til' gymnastics, and she had nothing to do. She could go home and hang out with her delightful cousins, who she was still avoiding. Or she could go to Ninja Ops again. Maddy laughed mentally. Like there was a hard decision. Ninja Ops it is.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy loved Ninja Streak. It was fun. She thought as she sped through the mountains outside of Blue Bay until she reached the waterfall. Maddy slowed down and brought herself to a stop outside the entrance. She skipped across the pool and down into Ninja Ops. As she came down the stairs, she narrowly missed getting whacked in the face by Tori, who was sparring with Shane in the dim stairwell.

"Hello to you too!" Maddy yelped as she ducked under the blow. Tori and Shane quit their fighting. Tori picked up her water bottle from the floor.

"Sorry Maddy." Tori said after she finished taking a drink. Maddy mock pouted.

"You could have harmed the circle of beauty that is my face." Maddy pouted, and Shane laughed, and the Water Ninja just rolled her eyes.

"Maddy, you want to spar?" Shane asked. Maddy nodded, and sank into a defensive stance, dropping her bag against the wall. Shane mirrored her actions.

"Bring it air boy." Maddy challenged. Shane smiled.

"Let's go." Shane said, and he advanced towards Maddy and went for a sweep with his left leg, which Maddy nimbly jumped over. She went in for a hit to the side, but Shane grabbed her arm and stopped her, and started to flip her over, but Maddy twisted out of his grasp and ducked under his kick. Maddy went for a sweep herself, and managed to knock him slightly off balance.

"Did they tell you their plan?" Shane asked Maddy as he regained his balance.

"He said he'd let us know what happened. I trust them." Maddy said, breathing heavily from the sparring. Shane brought his hand out and Maddy stopped it as Dustin walked in, who heard the tail end of the conversation.

"Who, Blake and Hunter? Might want to rethink that." Dustin said angrily as he entered the actual Ninja Ops room, rather than the hallway. Maddy and Shane stopped and followed the angry Earth Ninja. Maddy stopped to grab her water bottle, and took a drink from it. She took up a position next to Tori, leaning against the wall.

"Why, what's going on?" Shane asked his angry friend, who was frowning. Must have been something big; Maddy reasoned, Dustin rarely got angry.

"I just talked to them at the shop, and they totally blew me off. Like, déjà vu

all over again." Dustin explained, calming down a fraction. Maddy nodded in agreement.

"I saw Hunter before he met with Roger Hanna. He was kinda rude. Dustin's right. It was all déjà vu all over again." Maddy agreed. Cam turned away from the computer.

"Technically, that's impossible." The tech genius in green pointed out. Dustin shook his head.

"Whatever man. I'm telling you, these guys are suffering from a major brain fade. Like our little adventure in the Cavern of Lost Souls never happened." Dustin claimed. Maddy narrowed her bright blue eyes at the memory of what happened.

"Adventure is one word for it." Maddy muttered, and Tori glanced at her, but continued.

"But I thought we were all cool." Tori said, trying to think of a possible explanation for why the boys were so mean.

"Like those guys are ever reliable." Shane snorted. Suddenly, the mainframe beeped, stopping the conversation.  
"Speaking of reliable, look who got up on the wrong side of the bed." Cam said as he brought up the picture of Lothor's latest freak. Maddy, Shane, Dustin and Tori crowded around the computer.

"Where does Lothor get these losers?" Shane wondered aloud. Tori stepped back.

"Does anyone else wonder why it's always at a quarry, or a construction site? Or the woods. Always somewhere creepy and foreboding." Maddy added.

"Maybe it boosts their egos before we blow em' up." Dustin pointed out. Maddy shrugged as she stepped back next to Tori.

"Maybe. Because, dude it would be a hit to the self esteem to get your butt kicked by teenagers, so maybe they want to feel cool one time before they explode." Shane added thoughtfully. Tori rolled her eyes. Boys.

"Do you want to say it, or should I?" Tori asked, as the boys joined the girls in the formation.

"Ninja Storm, Ranger form, HA!" The ninjas called together. They morphed into their epic spandex, and called out:

"Power of Water! Air! Earth! Lightning!" They yelled, and Ninja Streaked off to take down the latest monster.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

The teens arrived in their respective colors of red, blue, yellow and purple at the factory, only to find it deserted. Maddy looked around, senses alert and ready for action. The factory was deserted, and the only sound was that of the wind whistling

"Where is this guy?" Shane wondered aloud. He looked around, behind some crates, and still saw nothing.

"Maybe he poofed back to Lothor." Dustin said. Maddy shook her helmet-clad head.

"He has to be around here somewhere. It was on the sensors." Maddy argued. Tori groaned.

"I hate to say it, but that's always how it starts." Tori said nervously, and as if by a cue, fog began to drift up from every crack and crevice of the building and the earth around it. The Rangers began coughing and choking on the thick smoke. Maddy's lungs felt like they were on fire as the acrid smoke drifted in. She coughed harder, backing away from the smoke.

"Whoa! Major smog alert." Dustin coughed, and the smoke surrounded them again.

"I can't see anything!" Shane called out, and then Maddy felt a razor sharp hand claw her side. She yelled in pain, and was knocked away, landing near her friends who had gotten the same treatment.

"I rest my case." Tori groaned as she climbed to her feet, followed by Maddy, Dustin and Shane. The smoke cleared enough to reveal an ugly overgrown snail. They backed away and went into their defensive positions, readying for the attack.

"Well, isn't it the world famous Power Rangers. You know, you look taller on TV, especially you, purple." The freak mocked them. Maddy's eyes narrowed to slits under her helmet.

"Not my fault I'm vertically challenged!" Maddy snapped angrily. She was particularly sensitive about the fact that she was small for her age and that just about everyone towered over the 4'8 teen. Great job, freak, you made me really mad. Maddy thought.

"Anyone tell you you look uglier in person?" Dustin shot back at the monster. The monster growled, but didn't advance.

"What is this, attack of the giant snail?" Shane asked, and the monster charged.

"Ninja Swords!" The teens shouted together, and went to work against Toxipod. Little did they know, they were being watched by others. The Thunders stood morphed on one of the high towers of the abandoned factory.

"There they are!" Blake said in anticipation. Hunter smirked beneath his helmet.

"It's Showtime!" Hunter said, and they used their powers to cause Crimson and Navy lightning to flare up around the Wind Rangers, sending them sprawling.

"What?" Shane asked in confusion; last time he checked, overgrown snails couldn't throw lightning.

"Oh crap." Maddy said, as she realized what color the lightning had been. Crimson and Navy. "Crap crap crap! Guys, it's-" Maddy began anxiously, but her sentence was cut off by the arrival of the morphed Thunder Rangers.

"Hey!" Blake called fake-cheerfully. Maddy could have sworn he was smiling under that helmet.

"Remember us?" Hunter asked gleefully. Maddy clenched her fist in anger. Hunter had tricked her, lied to her.

"What are you guys doing?!" Tori exclaimed as the Thunders attacked. Tori and Shane took on Blake, while Maddy and Dustin split off to attack Hunter.

"Why are you doing this Hunter?" Maddy asked as she locked blades, well, blade and staff with him.

"Your sensei destroyed our parents! We want revenge!" Hunter snarled as he broke out of the lock and slammed her in the side, knocking Maddy off her feet. Dustin jumped in behind her, attacking Hunter with his own Ninja Sword. Hunter slammed Dustin, who split in two and laughed.

"Time to split!" Dustin laughed and made a double as himself. Maddy watched bug-eyed as the Dustins attacked.

"I'm not scared of your ninja tricks!" Hunter scoffed, but Dustin and Dustin 2 weren't fazed.

"Niiinnnjjjjaaaaa Power!" The Dustins yelled as they kicked Hunter to the ground. Hunter suddenly disappeared, leaving his suit behind. Maddy leapt up, ready to go in for the attack.

"Aww, man, that's my move!" Dustin lamented, as Hunter grew huge. The huge Hunter laughed.

"Low 5, little Dustin!" Hunter smirked as he used his hand to smash Dustin into the ground. Dustin's double disappeared as the real Dustin was smashed into the ground.

"Dustin!" Maddy cried, terrified her yellow friend had been seriously injured.

"I'm ok. Not a problem." Dustin said. Maddy looked up at the huge hunter.

"My turn! Lightning Bow!" Maddy ordered, and her purple bow appeared. She pulled back the quiver, and aimed. Maddy's fingers felt locked. Sure, she had just watched Hunter smash Dustin into the ground, and fight her, but she couldn't bare to let go and let the arrows fly. She took a deep breath, and made herself believe that the Hunter she knew wasn't there anymore. Maddy let her gloved fingers leave the trigger. The purple arrows flew through the air, hitting giant Hunter straight in the stomach. Hunter let out a yell, and shrank down to normal size.

"Take that!" Maddy shouted. Hunter laughed at the fire in her words.

"Very funny. Let's be real, now, how about that?" Hunter asked coldly, talking down to her like she was a 4 year old. Maddy glared at him, her bright blue eyes shooting sparks. They even had the slightest tinge of purple.  
"This real enough? Lightning Sphere!" Maddy shouted, and formed a ball of violet lightning using her powers. Maddy concentrated, and whipped the ball of lightning at Hunter, and it nailed him dead on.

"Nice shot, Maddy!" Dustin congratulated his friend. Maddy felt a bit of guilt after having to attack Hunter, but that couldn't be helped. Suddenly, Maddy heard a yell and whipped around in time to see Tori hit the ground several feet away.

"Tori!" Dustin yelled, and he ran towards her, Maddy hot on her heels. Maddy instantly dropped to her knees next to Tori.

"Tori, you ok?" Maddy asked anxiously, studying the Blue Ranger. Tori nodded, much to Shane, Maddy, and Dustin's relief.

"Yeah, the suit took most of the impact." Tori said, and She got up. The four Wind Rangers backed up and stood together, sinking into their defensive positions as the Thunders advanced. They were backed up against a high ledge in the factory, and the Thunders stopped mere footsteps away from the Winds.

"Time to end this." Hunter said menacingly. "Crimson blaster!" Hunter shot his weapon, but the Winds were ready, and leapt above the laser beam and onto the ledge. Toxipod suddenly reappeared, and he laughed.

"I'm just getting gassed up!" Toxipod laughed, sending a cloud of the noxious gas after the Wind Rangers. The rangers took off. Maddy sprinted through the corridors of the labyrinth-like building, ducking under low-hanging pipes and spider webs.

"Where are we going?" Dustin asked between breaths as they ran. They didn't slow their pace.

"Away from that stanky smell!" Tori exclaimed, rounding another corner and finding herself and the others trapped on a ledge, several feet above the ground. Maddy judged the height. Even for the flyer, it was too far to jump and land with no chance of harm. Land that wrong, and you'd end up with a sprained ankle at least.

"Uhhh, what now?" Maddy asked nervously, gasping for breath as the cloud finally caught up to them and surrounded them.

"You can't escape my furious fumes, rangers!" Maddy heard Toxipod cackle, and she pnce again felt the now familiar burning sensation from the smelly gas. She coughed,, and heard Dustin exclaimed "That totally reeks!" before Toxipod clawed them again, sending them over the edge. Maddy closed her eyes and prepared for impact with the unforgiving concrete. When she finally hit the ground, it was surprisingly less painful than it normally would have been. She opened her eyes and got to her feet as Toxipod blasted another gas bomb into the area.

"This is the best blast of gas!" Toxipod bragged as he watched the Rangers struggled to their feet, coughing.

"Aww, man, this guy is stinking up my whole day!" Shane complained.

"He needs to be smog checked!" Maddy added with a laughed. Tori and Dustin nodded in agreement.

"Alright, guys let's put the Wind in Wind Rangers!" Shane ordered, and Maddy scrunched up her nose in confusion.  
"Yeah!" Tori and Dustin cheered simultaneously. Maddy shook her head.

"What are you guys talking about?" Maddy asked quizzically.

"Just follow our lead Maddy." Tori told her friend who shrugged.

"If I die attempting this I blame you guys!" Maddy joked, and Toxipod sneered down at them.

"Foolish Rangers. Like I'm afraid of wind." Toxipod sneered, his snail-like face twisting in revulsion.

"Then come on down!" Shane called in imitation of a game show announcer.  
"Unless you're too chicken!" Tori mocked him, and wiggled her hands on either side of her helmet and stuck her tongue out beneath her helmet.

"Come on down, don't be shy!" Maddy laughed, as Dusting banged two metal lids together in imitation of a drum roll. Toxipod's expression showed his ego had seriously been challenged.

"You are so on! Stand back! Mega morning breath!" Toxipod released the most massive cloud of gas yet. Maddy shuddered. Worst smelling one too. Maddy thought ruefully.

"Ugh, try a mint! Ready?" Shane asked, and Tori and Dustin grinned.

"Ready!" they agreed, leaving Maddy confused. Dustin, Shane, and Tori hooked elbows. Maddy watched, and then she understood.

"Ohh, I get it now!" Maddy said excitedly as she linked elbows with Dustin and Tori.

"Lets give him the spin cycle!" Dustin said, and they began spinning, slowly at first, but faster and then even faster. Maddy could hear the wind roaring in her ears. Hehe. So that was what they meant with putting the Wind in Wind Rangers. Maddy realized with a small laugh.

"No fair, I'm supposed to trash you!" Toxipod whined, and Maddy rolled her eyes.

"Ninja sword, power up! Ha!" The teens shouted, and they charged Toxipod. Tori slammed him with her sword first, followed by Dustin, then Maddy, and finally Shane.

"Let's finish this freak!" Maddy said, and she drew her Lightning Bow.

"Lion Hammer!" Dustin called, and his weapon appeared, and they hooked the Hammer and Bow together, followed by Shane's Hawk Blaster and Tori's Sonic Fin.

"Storm striker, fire!" The teens shouted, and Shane pulled the trigger. The multicolored burst of energy exploded out of the barrel of th Striker, and slammed into Toxipod, who exploded with a final yell. The teens were high fiving each other when suddenly Toxipod rose to new heights.

"Like we didn't see that coming." Maddy smirked. Shane brought his morpher closer to his face, hitting the familiar comlink button.

"Cam what do you think?" Shane asked the resident genius, and sure enough, Cam was already hitting the buttons on the keyboard.

"I'm thinking Megazord." The teen in green replied, and the Zords appeared from their portals. They leapt into their respective Zords. When Maddy arrived in the Panther Zord, she smiled.

"Nothing beats a day of Rangering than some fun in the Megazord!" Maddy laughed as they combined. Giant Toxipod was jumping around, eager to fight with the Winds.

"You're gonna get a shell-shock from me!" Toxipod bragged, as he folded himself up inside his shell and slammed the Megazord, knocking it off balance.

"Whoa!" Maddy cried as the Megazord wobbled, but they managed to keep it on its feet. "That was a bit too close for comfort." Maddy muttered.

"Totally, dude, after last time I'm not a big fan of falling or crashing Megazords." Dustin agreed.

"I don't think Cam would be too happy either." Tori pointed out, and the comlinks on board crackled.

"No, Cam wouldn't be happy." Cam said dryly over the intercom, and it spurred the Rangers back to action.

"Well, let's beat this freak and head home, then! Lightning Megazord, power up!" Shane ordered. The protruding parts of the Megazord slimmed down and became more human-like. Maddy sighed happily. Still loving Lightning Mode. Maddy thought blissfully. Toxipod noticed the Megazord change and growled.

"You want some more?" Toxipod challenged. Maddy scanned her control pad, what attack to use? She noticed a purple button. Hey, purple for lightning! Maddy thought gleefully.

"If you don't mind, Shane, I have an attack picked out. Ramp attack!" Maddy ordered, and a ramp appeared out of thin air, and a circle appeared around the Megazord. It was automatically brought to the top, and the Megazord rolled down like it was doing a cartwheel. Maddy laughed.

"This is so cool!" Maddy squealed as the Megazord turned upside-down.

"It's like doing a flip on a freestyle ramp, but bigger!" Dustin agreed. The Megazord slammed into Toxipod, knocking him down. The Lightning Megazord stood back up, and the sphere and ramp disappeared.

"Lightning mode, Power Down." Shane instructed, and the Megazord became bigger once more.

"Let's finish this!" Tori said, and Shane hit another button.

"Serpent sword!" Shane ordered. The Power Sphere emerged from the front of the Wind Megazord, and a green sword shaped like a serpent appeared.

"Final Strike!" The rangers shouted together, and they sliced Toxipod.

"Noooo!" Toxipod yelled as he blew.

Suddenly, the Beetlezords appeared. A chorus of groans rose from the Wind Rangers.

"Aww, great, the bugs are back!" Shane groaned. Maddy suddenly felt an burning rage at the appearance of the Thunders. She was sick of them playing nice, only to come back and try to destroy them again.

"Then let's squash them like the bugs they are." The Lightning Ninja said coldly. Her voice seemed devoid of feelings. Tori looked startled.

"Maddy, isn't that a bit harsh?" Tori asked tentatively.

"Wasn't it a bit harsh they kicked out butts, kidnapped me and held Cam hostage, then said they were sorry, and then left, and come back, are nice, then they're mean and determined to kick out butts again? I don't think so. Tori shrugged.

"Point taken, I guess, but they have to be under some mind control thing-"

"They weren't the first time. How do we know it's not just a trick? I'm taking no chances." Maddy said with a determination of steel.

"Here they come." Shane said, interrupting the female Ninja's conversation. They dropped the Megazord into a defensive stance, reading for the Thunders.

The Thunder Megazord charged, but suddenly halted, right in front of the Wind Megazord, unmoving. Silence.

"What's happening?" Dustin wondered, as he stared at the still Thunder Megazord.

"Probably another trick." Maddy stated coldly.

"So are we gonna charge them?" Dustin asked Shane and Tori. Suddenly an orangey-yellow glow surrounded both Megazords.

"Guys what's going on?!" Maddy asked. There was no answer, and Maddy's world suddenly went black.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

**A/N cont.: TBC! I promise I'll never abandon a fanfic. :) Vote, and R&R! **

**~Weathergirl17248**


	11. Chapter 11: Return of Thunder Pt 2

**Ok, I've worked out a posting schedule. 1 new chapter every weekend, maybe more, depending on my schedule. And could somebody please vote? One more. Just because we have a 3-way tie, and I need a tie-breaker. Ok, enough boringness, here's Return of Thunder Part 2!**

**~Weathergirl17248**

**DISCLAIMER:**** I don't own Power Rangers; Saban Entertainment does, although Disney made Ninja Storm. I do own my OC's, however, and unrecognizable stuff. Enjoy.**

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy's first sense of waking up was hearing the waves crash on the beach. A cool breeze tickled her senses, and the familiar smell of the ocean brought her back to full consciousness. Rough rocks dug into her back, and Maddy finally opened her brought blue eyes. Her vision was blurry, and Maddy couldn't make out any of the landscape around her, just a grayish-blue blur for the sea, and a slate gray sky above it. Everything else were blobs of color. She realized that her glasses were missing. The ninja-in-training sat up, looking for the familiar purple and blue glasses that usually adorned her face. One slight problem. She couldn't see them in the yellow-brown blur that was the sand.

"Great. Because being stranded by myself in goodness-know-where by myself just wasn't good enough." Maddy muttered, and she raised her wrist closer to her face and clicked the button.

"Cam?" Maddy asked. All she got was silence. She let go of the button, and tried again. "Cam? Are you there?" Still no response from the tech genius. "Tori? Shane, Dustin, anyone? Heck, I'd settle for a Thunder Ranger." Maddy said, kicking at the sand in frustration. She heard footsteps behind her, almost undetectable in the sand. If Maddy hadn't been a ninja-in-training, she wouldn't have heard them at all. The teen whirled around, to come face-to-face with Hunter and Blake Bradley.

"I had to ask, didn't I?" Maddy questioned, and stepped away from the boys, who merely stared coldly at her.

"Now look, kids, I don't want any trouble. No matter how much I'd love to fight you, I've got better things to do." Maddy said sternly, sounding braver than she really felt. She truly had several bones to pick with them, but she'd rather do it with the back-up of her team. The boys continued staring at her. Seconds, seemingly hours passed silently, until they both stepped back. Maddy felt confusion warring with relief. She had never seen them step away from a fight. Crimson and Navy brought their wrists up as one in perfect unison. Crap, Maddy thought as she realized what they were doing, and she brought up her own wrist.

"Thunder storm!" Their voices intertwined as they shouted out their morphing calls.

"Ninja Storm!" Maddy shouted as she shot her fingers in the air.

"RANGER FORM, HA!" The three shouted together, and they all hit their morphers. Maddy felt herself becoming more powerful, and being clad in her signature purple. Her helmet covered her head, hiding her messy curls and shielding her face.

"Crimson Thunder Power!" Hunter shouted.

"Navy Thunder Power!"

"Power of Lightning!" Maddy's voice echoed commandingly, and she snapped out of her morphing sequence in time to leap away from Hunter's downward slash with his Thunder Staff, only to be smacked by from behind by Blake with his own Thunder Staff. Maddy felt a slight sense of panic. She was being knocked back and forth like a Ping-Pong ball. Didn't help that she still hadn't found her glasses, and therefore only saw colored blurs. Maddy ducked under a high kick aimed for her by a black, navy and gold blur. Blake. The purple ranger retaliated by faking a high kick, and then when Blake brought his arms up to defend, Maddy went for a sweep, taking Blake down.

"Crimson Cannon!" Hunter shouted, his blaster leveled straight at Maddy. Time seemed to slow, as Hunter pulled the trigger, and Maddy dove out of the way, the blast impacting the rocks behind her. Shattered fragments of the rocks peppered Maddy's helmet as the rocks exploded. Hunter let out a roar of frustration, and charged Maddy again.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx **

(Meanwhile…) Tori, Shane and Dustin had managed to regroup, and were combing the island for their younger friend. Tori stopped, pushing loose strands of blonde hair behind her ears.

"She has to be here somewhere!" Tori exclaimed frustratedly. "How big can this island actually be?"

"I don't understand why she wound up so far away from us, but we wound up so close to each other." Dustin wondered.

"Tori you shouldn't have trusted them!" Shane said angrily as they resumed their search. "If you and Maddy wouldn't have trusted Blake and Hunter, we wouldn't be in this mess!" Tori glared at him. Dustin silently watched the exchange take place between Red and Blue.

"Don't you think I feel bad enough already?"

"Guys, fighting isn't going to change anything." Dustin said logically. IT was odd, the yellow ranger thought, to be the logical, sensible one. That was Tori's job.

"Let's go. We have more ground to cover." Shane said sharply, and he started walking again, leaving a stung Tori and Dustin behind.

"Maybe we could trade Shane in for another ranger. A green one." Dustin joked, trying to get Tori's spirits up. Tori smiled weakly.

"Let's go. It would be a problem if we had to look for Shane and Maddy." Dustin and Tori followed Shane. As they caught up to him, Shane turned around.

"Look, Tori-" Shane began, but a blast interrupted Shane's words. The three ninjas spun towards the noise. Crimson smoke quickly dissipated into the air.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that Maddy was near that." Tori said dryly. "Ready?" Shane asked, as he stepped back into morphing position. The Water and Earth Ninjas followed his lead.

"Ready. Ninja Storm, Ranger Form, HA!" The teens shouted together, and they morphed into the now-familiar Spandex.

"Wind Ranger Power!" They shouted in unison, and immediately went into Ninja Streak to the point of the blast.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy narrowly avoided another laser blast from Hunter, and jumped over Blake's sweep. It was exhausting trying to take on both Thunder Rangers at once. Hunter caught her in the back with his Thunder Staff, and sent her sprawling across the beach. Maddy groaned softly as she stood back up, her left shoulder aching from where it has taken the brunt of the ground impact. The second she got back to her feet, Blake attacked her with a flurry of kicks and punches she couldn't even begin to defend herself against. Maddy hit the ground once more, and rolled onto her back to look up, and see the unmistakable point of a Thunder Staff pointed at her neck. The purple-clad teen barely breathed, as the Crimson Ranger towered over her.

"I thought you would be more of a challenge." Hunter sneered. "Say goodbye, Madison." Hunter laughed as he was raised the staff to prepare to slam it down. Maddy closed her eyes, and heard the whoosh of the air being displaced by the rapidly moving spear. Voices echoed across the beach.

"Maddy!" Her friends were sprinting towards her, but it they were too far away to help. Maddy threw up her arms to protect herself. She waited for impact, and suddenly heard Hunter yell. She opened her eyes to see a woman's ghostly form standing over her, blocking Hunter's attack.

"You will not harm her." The woman said coldly, shoving Hunter away from Maddy. Maddy could do nothing but stare up at the woman, not sure whether to be terrified or grateful.

"He-YA!" Dustin appeared out of nowhere and sliced Hunter with his sword, startling the Crimson Thunder ranger, sending him tripping back several paces. The woman glanced down at Maddy, and disappeared as suddenly as she had appeared. Maddy shivered, not from cold, but from shock. She didn't understand what had just happened, but she decided to be grateful all the same. She shook it off and greeted her yellow friend.

"Somebody knows how to make an entrance!" Maddy laughed as Dustin pulled her up.

"We couldn't let you have all the fun." Dustin shot back jokingly, and Hunter rose to his feet again.

"The more the merrier for us to destroy you!" Hunter mocked, charging. Maddy rolled her eyes. Did Hunter realize that didn't make a whole lot of sense?

"Ninja Sword!" Maddy commanded, and her sword appeared in her hand. "Let's stop this storm!" The two teens charged, driving Hunter backwards with strike after strike. Maddy would block the staff with her sword, while Dustin went for a neat slice across the wrist with his own sword. Hunter seemed to be slowing down, like he was dazed.

"Wait. Why are we fighting?" Hunter mumbled, confusion coloring his tone, and he went down hard, clutching his head. Maddy and Dustin stood over him, swords raised. Blake, who had been a few short paces away, ducked under a blow from Shane and dodged a kick from Tori, sprinting to his brother's side.

"Hunter, Hunter what's wrong?" Blake asked anxiously, kneeling next to his groaning brother. The Wind Ninjas took the opportunity to regroup, watching the scene between the two brothers.

"I don't know." The Crimson Ranger moaned. Maddy took in the scene with a mix of pity and annoyance. They could take them down now, not kill em', but bust their morphers.

"Guys, c'mon, if we strike now, we can end it." Maddy insisted quietly. Shane shook his head.

"No matter how much I hate them, it's not fair to kick them while they're down." Shane replied.

"They weren't exactly fair to us, so why not fight fire with fire? I'm not saying destroy them, I'm saying we short out their morphers or something." Maddy explained, and Dustin nodded in agreement.

"I think it's a good idea. Then we can talk to them without them trying to kill us." Dustin agreed. Shane and Tori looked at each other, undecided, but Hunter and Blake had gotten back up and we readying their staffs. Hunter was barely standing, and he was wobbling visibly.

"You can't take us down the easily." Blake taunted boldly, and Shane raised his sword, and his teammates mirrored his actions.

"Ninja Sword, Final Strike!" The teens slashed their swords down in unison. Maddy slammed her sword with all of the strength in her body, sending a blast of purple energy towards the boys. Blake and Hunter went down hard, hitting the ground with an audible thud. The Wind Rangers watched the Thunders, waiting, watching. Maddy wiggled her foot nervously. Had they done the right thing? Had she been wrong, this whole time? Should she check on them? Take their morphers? Hunter stirred, and Maddy abandoned her doubts and slowly made her way over to him and knelt down.

"Umm, Hunter?" Maddy asked nervously, watching the crimson and black blur in front of her. Maddy clicked open her visor, and motioned her friends to do the same. Tori came forward hesitantly, standing over Blake, looking down at the Navy Thunder Ranger, who groaned and sat up, opening his own visor. He saw his brother, and the Lightning Ranger kneeling next to him,

"Hunter? Tori, Maddy, Shane, Dustin, where are we?" Blake asked. Hunter sat up and shook his head.

"No idea, bro."

"We're on an island somewhere. Chuboo sent us here during the fight." Maddy explained, a slight edge to her voice. Well, they're ok now, so I have the right to be royally ticked at them. Maddy reasoned. Her relief at Hunter and Blake being ok was quickly escalating into anger for what they had done.

"The fight? What are you-oh."

"Yeah, y'know the fight where we were fighting a giant snail, and you had to just jump in and try to kill us? That fight. And then the next one you almost killed me? And I was saved by some random kick-butt powers? Remember that one?" Maddy said icily, getting back to her feet and started walking back to Shane and Dustin. Maddy was a few steps away when she heard a sickening crunch under her left heel.

"What was that?" Dustin asked. Maddy picked up her left heel, and could make out several blurs of purple and blue. She gingerly picked the pieces up, praying that they wouldn't be what she thought it was.

"Crap."

"And I ask, what was it?" Shane wondered, peering at the pieces of broken plastic.

"My glasses that I couldn't find earlier. Would somebody remind me to get contacts when we get home?" Maddy said, dropping the pieces again. Hunter and Blake, hesitantly approached the Wind Rangers.

"Look, guys-"Hunter began, but he was interrupted by a new voice.

"Hey, you in the colored Spandex down there!" A child-like voice called. 6 heads swiveled in unison, searching for the sound. Chuboo. The green alien stood on a ridge a short distance away, glaring at them.

"I've worked too hard to let you destroy my plans now!" Chuboo whined. Another monster appeared beside him, and Dustin groaned.

"I thought we already beat this creep!" Dustin groaned, shutting his visor.

"Doesn't matter, we've got double trouble now." Maddy said as her own visor closed.

"We have to split up, three take Chuboo, three take Toxipod." Shane said. Hunter stepped forward.

"Blake and I can handle Chuboo. We've got a bone to pick with him."

"Ok, me, Tori, and Dustin will take Toxipod, Maddy, you go with the Thunders." Shane instructed, and Maddy glared at him as he, Tori, and Dustin took off towards Toxipod.

"Seriously, Shane? Seriously?" Maddy yelled at the blur of the Red Ranger's retreating back. She needed to have a talk with that boy.

"We're not that bad." Blake said indignantly. Maddy staked him with a glare that was obvious even though she had her helmet closed.

"You. Both. Tried. To. Kill. Me. On what planet is that 'not that bad'?" Maddy shot back.

"Touché." Blake conceded, and they ran towards Chuboo, Hunter behind them.

"Hey ugly! We've got a bone to pick with you." Hunter growled, drawing his Thunderstaff and leveling it at Chuboo. Maddy was thanking her lucky stars that the staff wasn't pointed at her for once.

"Like I said, I've worked too hard to let you ruin it now!" Chuboo repeated, and he called down a beam of pink light. Hunter glanced up and saw it coming.

"Maddy, Blake, look out!" Hunter shoved them out of the way. Maddy tripped and went to her knees in the dirt. She was helpless to do anything but watch as the beam struck him.

"Hunter!" Maddy cried, as she ran back to him, where Blake helping him up.

"Are you alright?" Blake asked his older brother worriedly.

"Yeah, I think so." Hunter said haltingly, and Maddy's eyes narrowed. Something wasn't right. His visor flickered a strange pink, flashing just a moment before it was gone. She was about to voice her concerns when Chuboo spoke again, this time directly to Hunter.

"Listen to me, Crimson, your brother has betrayed you! He joined the Wind Rangers, he was persuaded by that pretty Blue ranger! The purple ranger helped her, and almost tricked you too!" Chuboo shouted. Maddy shook her head.

"That's crazy! I'd never betray Hunter!" Blake snapped defensively, putting a hand on Hunter's shoulder.

"Hunter, it's a lie, don't believe him!" Maddy cried. Hunter shook his head slowly.

"My own brother." Hunter murmured. Maddy backed away as the Crimson Ranger grabbed Blake's wrist and flipped him, slamming him onto the hard, unforgiving ground. Blake groaned, but got back up, taking a defensive stance.

"Hunter, don't listen! Blake is your brother, he wouldn't betray you!" Hunter ignored the lightning ninja, as he slammed Blake with his Thunderstaff.

"Bro, stop it, this isn't you." Blake groaned as he tried to regain his footing. Maddy helped him up, taking a defensive stance.

"Hunter, listen to your brother, he's telling the truth." Maddy begged, drawing her Ninja Sword. Hunter merely shook his head.

"I don't believe you." Hunter growled, taking a step, before bursting out with speed and slamming Blake before Maddy could take a single step. Blake demorphed and went still. Maddy still stood, inwardly shaking with fear at the idea of facing an enraged Hunter by herself, but outwardly showed no emotion, standing over Blake in an effort to protect him.

"Hunter stop it!" Maddy pleaded, as the Crimson Ranger set his sights on her. The object of his rage. She backed away slowly, as Hunter began to walk towards her.

"This is your fault. You helped trick my brother, and you will pay. Dearly." Hunter snarled. Maddy's heart pounded. She was fighting for her life now. Hunter charged with a yell, tackling Maddy to the ground. She kicked at him, tried to use her sword. Hunter ripped her sword away, throwing it across the beach, where it clattered uselessly across the rocks. Maddy fought to keep herself from whimpering as Hunter pinned her down.

"Say goodnight, Maddy." Hunter said coldly. Maddy felt his hands close around her throat, cutting off her air supply. She tried to scream, to fight, but it was useless. Maddy heard her heart pounding as her lungs screamed for oxygen. Her purple ranger uniform fell away, losing her last line of defense, her suit. Her vision turned black around the edges, and her last conscious thought was a vague scream, sounding like Dustin.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Dustin, Shane, and Tori had managed to escape the new-and-improved Toxipod, choosing to regroup and join forces with Hunter, Blake, and Maddy. As they came over the ridge, the first thing Dustin saw was Hunter, kneeling over Maddy, his hands around her throat, trying to kill her. He let out an enraged yell, and before Shane or Tori could utter a sound, he was already almost to Hunter, running faster than he ever had to save his friend. The Earth Ranger leveled his arm, and slammed Hunter away from Maddy liked a football linebacker. He knocked Hunter sideways, sending him into the dirt. Dustin punched Hunter, hard in the stomach, and the Crimson ranger kicked him in the shoulder, recovering from the shock.

They leapt to their feet, and were matching each other kick for kick and punch for punch. There was a tremendous amount of force behind the attacks, and Dustin and Hunter were all-out brawling, nothing like the more civilized fighting that had happened before this.

"Dustin, come on, we gotta get out of here!" Shane yelled, trying to get the Yellow Ranger away from Crimson so they could escape and regroup.

Dustin finally managed to trip Hunter up with a fake punch that, at the last second he switched to a kick. He caught Hunter in the stomach, knocking the Crimson Ranger away, winded, and he sprinted back towards his friends. Tori had an arm wrapped around Blake's shoulders, supporting the Navy Thunder ranger, while Shane stood ready to go. Dustin scooped up unconscious Maddy bridal-style.

"Ninja Smoke Screen!" Shane shouted as soon as Dustin was close enough, and they disappeared, leaving an enraged Hunter behind.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

**How was that for an update? I know, I OC'd most of this chapter, I hope everyone liked it. RI was gonna end it when Maddy heard Dustin yell, but I wasn't that mean. :) Review, please!**

**~Weathergirl17248**


	12. Chapter 12: Return of Thunder Part 3

***Pokes her head up from behind couch* Uhh…hey guys. I'm really sorry, making you go over a month without a chapter. That was VERY mean. I didn't mean to…life just got insane. I got a lead role in the play, my great-grandma died, my friend's grandpa died, and I've been buried in homework. My life was essentially coming apart at the seams, but my best friend helped me put it back on track. This chapter is dedicated to her. Thanks, Maria. :)**

**~Weathergirl17248**

**Disclaimer-(checks email) Nope. Haim Saban/Disney hasn't sold them to me. :P Still don't own them. Not making money. No infringement intended. I don't own Fireflies either. Owl City does. **

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Her throat hurt. Burned, actually. Was Maddy's first slightly conscious thought. Did she dream the whole island thing? She could feel a smooth, cool stone floor beneath her back, and Maddy wondered if she has fallen asleep on the floor at Ninja Ops or something. Which would have been really weird. Maddy finally opened her eyes and sat up, taking in first the gray stone of the cave, the brightness of the other end, and finally of Blake sitting beside her. She let out a yelp and leapt up, reaching for her morpher out of sheer instinct.

"Maddy, relax, he's with us now." Tori explained, coming up behind Maddy.

"Oh." Maddy croaked, her voice sounding scratchy and rough. She cleared her throat. "Wait, when did that happen?"

Dustin and Shane, who had followed Tori in, as well as Blake and Tori, shared a worried glance.

"You don't remember?"

"Remember what? The last thing I remember is I was on the beach, and then we went to get Chuboo, and then-I don't know. Did something major happen?" Maddy asked.

"You could say that…"

"And where's Hunter? Why is Blake here but he isn't?"

"You guys might not be on speaking terms right now…"

"Dangit would you finish a sentence? This trailing off is just making me more curious! Did I get ticked and punch him?"

"Not exactly…

"What did I say about trailing off? Tell me." Maddy insisted impatiently, crossing her arms.

"I'll tell her. But you have to promise not to blame him. Chuboo, he messed him up." Blake said nervously.

"And promise not to hurt Blake. It's not his fault either." Tori added.

"I promise on my morpher and rangerhood. Now spill." Maddy insisted.

"Well, we, you, me, and Hunter, we went to take on Chuboo, while Tori, Shane, and Dustin went after Super Toxipod. You weren't…happy, to say the least. We got to him, and it was a trap. Lothor shot this weird beam, and Hunter pushed you and me out of the way. It hit him, and he was fine, and then he went crazy. Chuboo told him that you and Tori tricked him. He attacked me, and when you tried to stop him, he went after you. You're a pretty good fighter, but Hunter just had the height advantage. He pinned you down and…he tried to…choke you."

Maddy's hands unconsciously touching her throat, where vicious bruises were already forming, purple and black and blue.

"He tried to…kill me?"

"But you have to understand, it wasn't him." Blake said, but Maddy barely heard him over the roaring of her own thoughts. _He tried to kill me._ _He almost did. He tried to kill me. How am I alive? How the heck am I alive?!_

"If he was rage-driven and gonna kill me, why am I still here?" Maddy asked, surprising herself by voicing one of the thoughts bouncing around in her scrambled brain.

"Dustin. He made like a football linebacker and tackled him. Dude, I've never seen you move that fast." Shane explained, and the yellow ranger rubbed the back of his neck.

"It was nothing." Dustin said, embarassed. Maddy climbed to her feet.

"Dustin. Thank you." Maddy said, and she threw her arms around Dustin's neck, hugging him tightly. "You saved my life." The Earth Ninja was slightly taken aback, and blushed redder than Shane's ranger suit. When Maddy released him, and leaned back against the wall, an awkward silence fell over the group of teens.

"So, where are we, exactly?" Tori asked, trying to relive the awkwardness the Yellow and Purple rangers were feeling.

"Borderco Island." Blake replied.

"What's that?"

"It's a pretty bizarre island. It only comes up from the sea every 200 years or something. It messes with the weather, which is why it's getting colder." Maddy had forgotten about the cold up until Blake mentioned it. Of all the days she wore shorts and a tank top. Maddy thought ruefully as she shivered.

"Wait. It only comes up from the sea every 200 years or so?"

"Yeah."

"So it's sinking?! And we're stuck on it."

"That's the harsh part."

"So what do we do?"

"For now we gotta find higher ground."

"What are we waiting for? We're burning daylight." Maddy said calmly as she headed towards the mouth of the cave, flip-flops making a soft smack-smack-smack as they hit the cool, smoothed gray rock. She shielded her eyes against the bright yellow sunlight.

"Is it just me, or is she surprisingly calm for someone who almost got strangled?" Maddy heard Shane observe, and she rolled her eyes. No matter how tempting it was to curl into a ball and sob, or lose it, they had bigger things to worry about.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

The rangers walked silently along ridge that overlooked the beach, each person lost in their own thoughts.

"So, is anyone even slightly worried that we haven't seen Hunter for the better part of 2 hours?" Dustin voiced. Shane shook his head.

"Not really." Shane grumbled from beside him. "I could use a break from getting my butt kicked."

Blake glared at the air ninja, who raised his hands in defense.

"Look, someday you'll be glad he has those powers."

"Yeah, the day he quits trying to kill us with them." Maddy said snarkily.

"How did you even get them?" Tori asked, trying to defuse the heated situation. Blake shot her a grateful look as the group stopped on a bluff that overlooked the raging Pacific Ocean. The Navy Thunder Ranger turned to face them.

"It's a long story."

"Not like we all have crazy social lives we need to get to at the moment."

"Well, our parents were trained by Sensei Omino in the way of the Thunder Ninja." Blake began, crossing his arms. "After they…well, passed away, he brought us to the Thunder Academy, and he took us in, helped us get through all of it. We felt like we belonged there, and we did great in our training. Sensei Omino was training us for something, but we had no idea what…"

"And that's when Lothor showed up?" Tori asked. Blake nodded.

"Yeah. Sensei gave us our morphers, told us we would know what to do. Then he got captured by Lothor…"

"So you went in one of those little balls, was it like doing a flip on a freestyle ramp, or-"

"Missing the point, dude." Maddy said, smacking Dustin lightly on the arm.

"Oh, sorry dude, continue." Dustin said apologetically.

"Well, when we got to the ship, Lothor was pretty ticked that we had the new ranger powers. That's when he told us the bull about our parents!"

"And then you guys showed up and went all crazy on us." Shane semi-muttered.

"I don't think we need to go through that again." Maddy said hurriedly, shooting Shane a warning glance. Blake's betrayal had really shaken Tori up. It had taken a while to get the blonde teen over it, and the last thing they needed was to relapse.

"Hunter is a good person, but if he thinks someone wronged him, he's not giving up til he makes it right."

"Makes this that much more fun."

"Your story makes sense. But why is Hunter after us?"

"Chuboo used some mind eraser thing, and made us think you guys were our enemies.

"Again." Maddy interjected. Tori whacked her arm lightly and Maddy frowned at her. It was the truth.

"If that's true, why do you remember us, and Hunter doesn't?"

"I guess I just had more help remembering who my friends are."

Maddy smirked as Tori blushed.

"Then we'll help Hunter remember too. Let's go." Tori, Blake, and Shane started back down the bluff. Maddy sighed.

"I'd rather not…" Maddy murmured, not expecting anyone to hear her.

"C'mon dude, it's like ripping off a Band-Aid. It'll be better if we get it over it." Dustin encouraged her. Maddy shook her head, her curls bouncing slightly.

"Dustin, facing the dude who almost strangled you is a bit more intense than ripping off a Band-Aid." Tori, Shane, and Blake had turned back and were listening.

"We'll protect you." Dustin assured Maddy.

"Promise?" Maddy asked. The Lightning Ninja looked worried and scared, making her seem vulnerable and much younger than her 15 years.

"Promise." Dustin assured her. Tori smiled inwardly. Cute moment. The blonde thought, very cute. Not that she'd every say anything to either Maddy or Dustin, but they could make a VERY cute couple.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy covered her nose with her hand as the group picked their way across the unusually rocky beach. The surf pounded the rocks, spraying them with cold surf.

"What's with this place? It reeks!" Maddy coughed, nose wrinkling up at the smell. A yell suddenly echoed across the beach, and a crimson blur rolled down one of the sand dunes.

"Guys, look, it's Hunter!" Blake said excitedly. Maddy whimpered softly. Facing the crazed guy who almost killed her wasn't exactly exciting in the least. Truly terrifying was more like it.

"Let's go." Shane said firmly, and he, along with Tori and Blake took off towards Hunter. Maddy took a hesitant step backward, bumping into Dustin, who was standing behind her. He caught her as she tripped over him, pulling her back upright. Her bright blue eyes met his warm brown ones, and he smiled.

"I promised." Dustin said kindly, reminding the smaller teen. _We'll protect you. _Maddy remembered_. _Maddy nodded hesitantly, her stray curls bouncing.

"What are we waiting for, then?" Maddy asked, barely keeping her voice even. Sheer terror was threatening to overwhelm her, but panicking wasn't an option.

"Are you going to be ok?"

"Yeah. Let's get it over with. Band-Aid, right?" Maddy said jokingly. Dustin didn't look convinced, but he followed the group. As the group neared Hunter, an unfriendly face appeared once more. Toxipod. The red and black creature laughed at them.

"You Rangers better bail, Cuz I'm one bad snail!" Toxipod bragged. He had grown bigger, while his shell had stayed small. Maddy rolled her eyes.

"Then why do you look more like a crab?" Maddy taunted with a smirk, and Toxipod growled.

"Snail, crab, whatever!" Toxipod snarled, and blasted smoke at them. The group halted.

"Ready guys?" Shane asked as they fell into their morphing positions. Blake stood a short pace away, in his own position.

"Ready!" The others replied in unison. Their fingers shot into the air.

"Ninja Storm!" Shane, Tori, Dustin, and Maddy shouted together, their voices echoing across the deserted beach.

"Thunder Storm!" Blake echoed.

"Ranger Storm, HA!" The five yelled together, hitting the disc on their morphers. Maddy felt herself being brought into the familiar Spandex, the helmet framing her head, and the visor clicked over her face. Her vision became better, something in the helmet helped her to see ok without her glasses.

"Power of Air!" Shane stood among the clouds, the Air Ninja symbol glowing red behind him. The bright red cast a pinkish glow on the clouds around him.

"Power of Water!" Waves tossed and danced beneath the Blue Ranger's feet, the Water Ninja symbol shone an electric blue behind her.

"Power of Earth!" Dustin shouted, as a volcano bubbled behind him, the lava glowing orange in contrast to the yellow earth symbol.

"Power of Lightning!" Maddy shrieked, purple lightning exploding out of the roiling storm clouds that hung low above her. The purple lightning symbol illuminated the dark clouds behind her.

"Navy Thunder Power!" Navy lightning flickered in the clouds above the Navy Ranger, thunder roiling and rising to a deafening crescendo. The Navy Thunder symbol appeared above Blake, glowing a deep navy.

As soon as the morphs ended, the five teens were already charging across the beach towards Toxipod. Shane attacked first, Dustin and Tori hitting Toxipod with follow-up attacks to keep him dazed.

"Lightning sword!" Maddy ordered, and the familiar sword appeared, the hilt appearing in her ready palm. "Electric charge!" The sword glowed with purple energy. Maddy sliced Toxipod neatly across the side, and he howled as he was electrocuted from the sword's lightning energy.

"You'll pay for that!" Toxipod threatened, before being slammed by Shane again, distracting him. Maddy glanced around for Blake; he was the only ranger who hadn't gone in for an attack.

"Blake?" Maddy asked, turning. She didn't see the Navy Ranger anywhere. She scanned the beach, momentarily distracted from the battle at hand. She spotted the Navy Ranger, fighting with…Hunter. And he looked pretty outmatched. Hunter struck him down, and slashed downward with his Thunder Staff. Blake barely rolled out of the way, and he got back to his feet. Maddy sighed, looking back at her busy friends. She was the only one who could help Blake.

"Just my luck." Maddy grumbled, running across the beach to the battling brothers. Maddy watched as Hunter struck Blake down again, and raised his Thunderstaff.

"Oh no ya don't!" Maddy yelled as she leapt on to Hunter's back, wrapping her arms around his shoulders to throw him off balance. The Crimson Ranger dropped his staff, staggering sideways from the sudden added weight.

"What the-"Hunter began, when suddenly he collapsed into the wet sand, bringing Maddy down with him. The Lightning Ninja disentangled herself from the Crimson Ranger.

"Geez, I'm not THAT fat!" Maddy exclaimed, as Blake rushed to his brother. Hunter's crimson suit disappeared, and Blake grabbed his brother's collar, shaking him fiercely. Maddy stepped back a pace, silently watching the scene unfold.

"Come on! No! Come on bro, stay with me!" Blake shouted at his older brother, cutting off his air supply, until Hunter grabbed his wrist.

"Dude, I need to breathe at some point." Hunter choked out, and Blake let go with a relieved grin and a laugh. The remaining Rangers raced over to the scene, having destroyed Super Toxipod.

"So, I guess he's back to being Hunter." Shane observed.

"Good Hunter or bad?" Dustin wondered.

"Do you know who we are?" Tori asked cautiously, and Hunter nodded.

"Yeah, my friends!" Hunter said, climbing to his feet.

"Some, not everyone." Maddy pointed out, scowling beneath her visor. Hunter looked startled.

"What do you mean?"

"Friends don't exactly try to strangle each other!" Maddy stalked off down the beach, kicking up sand. Sand that hadn't been wet before. The ocean was slowly but surely creeping further up the beach.

"What's she talking about?"

"You went crazy and almost killed her. Not like the usual almost killed. Like, the she was almost dead before we stopped you kinda almost killed." Hunter winced.

"Oh. Maybe I should go-"

"Don't. Give her time to cool off. She may usually be cool and collected, but when she's mad she's about as cool as a nuclear reactor." Tori explained.

"Yeah, she's dangerous when she's ticked. Remember what she did to Shane that one time when-" Dustin began, a smirk growing on his face.

"No need to talk about it!" Shane said hurriedly, and both Blake and Hunter looked intrigued as Tori and Dustin laughed.

"You shouldn't have challenged her, dude. Isn't she like, a black belt?" Dustin asked. Blake looked shocked.

"She's a black belt? She's only like, 13!" Blake exclaimed.

"She's actually 15. She just doesn't look like it. Her dad is a really good martial artist, and he taught her." Tori explained.

"Oh. Where is her dad? I've never seen him before." Blake pointed out, and Tori shook her head.

"That's something she needs to tell you. It's a kinda long story."

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy stormed down the beach, kicking aside small rocks with her toe._ Stupid, stupid, stupid everything._ She raged inwardly. She kicked a clump of sand particularly hard.

"Geez, what did the sand ever do to you?" A voice asked, and Maddy jumped, whirling around.

"Who's there?" Maddy asked, still scanning the beach.

"Me." The same ghostly figure from before appeared, glowing purple before she seemed to become solid and her features became clearer. The girl stood several inches taller than Maddy, with the same brown curly hair and bright blue eyes. Maddy watched the figure nervously, not demorphing. "Maddy, it's ok, you can trust me. Go on, demorph." The girl insisted.

"Who are you?" Maddy asked, fingers resting on the hilt of her sword.

"I'm Marcella. That enough to make you trust me?" The older teenager asked rather impishly, giving a smile.

"No offense, but not really." Maddy said hesitantly, still watching the girl nervously.

"I'm Marcella Carson, and everyone calls me Marci."

"Dude, this is waaayyyyy too creepy for me." Maddy muttered, stepping back a pace.

"I was the first known Lightning Ninja. It's a hereditary thing, y'know. Well, in most cases."

"So you're my…" Maddy began.

"Technically speaking, your great-great-great-great-great…ok, we'll just go with your ancestor." Marci explained cheerfully.

"Not to be rude or anything, but why are you here?" Maddy asked. Marcella smiled again warmly.

"I'm supposed to help train you. Usually the mother will train the daughter, but that's kinda…difficult in your case." Marci explained.

"Alrighty then. Power down." Maddy's suit disappeared in a flash of light, and Maddy took a seat on one of the nearby rocks, never taking her eyes off Marcella. Maddy pinched her right arm.

"What, don't believe I'm real?" Marcella asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Sorry. It's just been one of those days." Maddy said apologetically.

"Maddy? Where are you?" Maddy heard Tori's voice drift down the beach.

"Guess I better go." Marcella said, stepping back.

"Wait. So, will I see you again?" Marcella looked at Maddy strangely.

"I just said I'm gonna train you, didn't I? You won't become a master over your powers overnight."

"Sorry. Suffering from almost-strangulation syndrome." Maddy said with an apologetic smile. Marcella returned it.

"Well, see ya around!" Marcella said, and disappeared. Maddy stared at the spot Marcella had stood. This day just kept getting weirder and weirder. She thought with an inward sigh. Tori appeared over the bluff, her blonde hair blowing around her shoulders.

"Hey." Tori greeted the dark-haired teen.

"Hey." Maddy said, returning her gaze to the wild sea. A blue-green wave crashed over the beach, splashing closer to the rocks Maddy was perched on. It sprayed her with a mist of cool water. Tori made her way over to the purple ranger and perched on the rocks beside her.

"Where are the guys?"

"Back over there over the ridge."

"They didn't try to follow?"

"Well, Hunter did, but Dustin talked him out of it."

"Surprised Shane didn't, after what I did to him that one time." Maddy snickered

"Shane was too busy trying to keep Dustin from telling the story to a very curious Blake and Hunter." Maddy laughed, and then lapsed into silence. "So, whatcha thinking about?"

"I don't know. Everything and nothing."

"I'm angry, confused, exhausted, sore, and frustrated. I really just want to go home."

"Then why don't we head back over to the boys and figure something out?" A wave crashed loudly, and Maddy jumped in surprise.

"Is it just me, or is this water rising a lot faster?"

"C'mon. Let's go back with the boys and figure something out." Tori stood up and stretched.

"I guess." Maddy said glumly, climbing to her feet. The girls headed back towards the ridge, and Maddy cast a backwards glance towards the rocks. The water was already lapping at the base of the rocks. They had to get off the island. And soon.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

After a rather awkward rejoining of the two little groups, they trudged down the beach, rather, the small sliver of the beach that was left. Maddy kicked at rocks as she walked along, mulling over her encounter with Marcella.

_Geez, my life just keeps getting weirder and weirder. First I end up going to a secret ninja school, then my secret ninja school got sucked into the sky, then I became a Power Ranger, and my mentor is a guinea pig. Eventually, I end up on a deserted island with my fellow Rangers and two reformed ones. And meet a chick named Marcella. _

"My life is SO weird." Maddy thought aloud, eliciting odd glances from the others. "Sorry. Thinking out loud." Maddy returned to her thoughts, not waiting for a response. _Maybe she's the one who pulled me back up over that cliff. Or maybe this is all a really weird dream. _A beeping interrupted her thoughts. Not any beeping. A morpher beeping. Shane's.

"Cam?" The red ranger asked hopefully, raising his morpher closer to his lips.

"No." A familiar voice replied dryly. "It's the telephone company calling to see if you're happy with your long distance service." The Rangers laughed softly.

"We're delightful Cam, other than the fact that we're on a sinking island. Any ideas?"

"Maybe we could use the Gliders." Dustin suggested.

"The atmospheric pressure is too unstable, it's too dangerous." Cam replied.

"Can we use the Zords?" Blake spoke up.

"That a good idea, Blake. Just let me override your Megazord systems and check the structural integrity of the other Zords." Several clicking noises could be heard.

"That sounds complicated." Maddy said, rubbing the back of her head.

"Not if you know what you're doing. The Zords are on their way." Sure enough, several seconds later two fully formed Megazords were appearing out of the sea and stepping onto the beach. Maddy stared up at the massive machines before her. They made her feel a lot smaller than usual. _Is that how all the citizens of Blue Bay felt when they were duking it out with a mega space freak? _Maddy wondered.

"Let's blow this popsicle stand." Shane said, and he dropped his arm. Before they could morph, Hunter spoke up for the first time since the girls had returned.

"Wait." The rangers turned, waiting. "I just wanted to say, well, thanks. For helping me realize who my real friends were."

"What are friends for, dude?" Dustin said with a grin, and they turned back to their morphing positions.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"Ninja Storm, Ranger form!" The Wind Ninjas began.

"Thunder Storm, Ranger Form!" The Thunders echoed.

"HA!" The combined shout echoed across the empty beach, thrumming with power and energy.

"Wind Ranger Power!"

"Thunder Ranger Power!"

As soon as the group was morphed, they took to their Zords and headed back towards the mainland.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Roughly an hour later, the Rangers were back on the mainland in Ninja Ops. Maddy was flopped against the wall, listening silently as Cam filled them in on what had happened while they were on Borderco. Of all the Rangers, she was usually the most talkative, and Cam wondered what was wrong. She had barely said three words since returning to Ops.

"And with the island, it caused it to snow here-" Cam continued, and Maddy perked up.

"Ok. So you're telling me it SNOWED and I missed it?!" Maddy asked indignantly, and Cam nodded.

"It wasn't special, just cold." Cam assured her, and Maddy pouted slightly and shook her head.

"Still. I've always wanted to see snow!" Suddenly, something began ringing. _I like to make myself believe, that planet Earth turns, slow-_ Maddy grabbed her phone out of her pocket and picked up.

"Hello? Yeah. Yeah. It's a long story, I'll tell you later. Yeah, I'm on my way. Bye." The other rangers watched as Maddy clicked her phone shut. "Sorry guys, I gotta go, I'll see you tomorrow." Maddy hopped up from her position on the floor and headed out, and she was gone almost before the others realized what was happening. Her footfalls echoed up the stairs before finally dissipating with her absence. Cam turned to face the other Rangers.

"Ok. Who wants to tell me what happened on that island? I've never seen Maddy that quiet."

"That's kinda a long story…" Tori began, glancing at Shane and Dustin.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

**Ok. I can't have been the only person who wondered how Cam could magically get into the Thunder Megazord controls, so I figured he hacked it. He IS a tech genius after all…reviews please?**

**~Weathergirl17248**


	13. Chapter 13 : AUTHOR NOTE!

**Hi everyone! I'm really sorry about the lack of updates. **** I've been trying to find the episode Return of Thunder 4, so I can go through, watch it, and therefore give you the best chapter I can make, but I couldn't find it. I FINALLY found the episode online today, and I'm working on the chapter right now. I just wanted to give you all the heads up that I haven't forgotten about the story, and there will be a new chapter soon. :)**

**~Weathergirl17248**

**(And I must add, HOLY COW 89 REVIEWS?! Thank you all!)**


	14. Chapter 14: Return of Thunder Part 4

**Yeah, I know. Late. I don't have my laptop at the moment because I'm on school break. :( In other news, HOLY REVIEWS BATMAN! Almost 100! Thanks everybody. I hid a reference to another series of PR in here. Whoever finds it gets a pairing preview! And the joy of being right. :)**

**~Weathergirl17248**

**Disclaimer-Unless Haim Saban sold them to me in the past several hours and he didn't tell me, I still don't own PRNS. Phooey. I also don't own the awesome song "Life is a Highway" by Rascal Flatts. **

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

"Alright girls, line up!" Coach Carter ordered. Maddy, along with several other girls clad in gymnastics gear took up positions along the wall. "I want each of you to start off with a running round off, handspring across the blue mat, and end with a back tuck where the blue and black mat meet." Coach Carter, a short woman with dark hair pulled back into a no-nonsense bun, instructed. Maddy stood in the line along the wall, the cold cinderblock bricks pressing onto her sweaty back.

"Coach, you never said if you wanted back or front handsprings." A voice piped up, and Maddy rolled her eyes. Dang tryharding Mackenzie. Mackenzie had begun going to Maddy's gymnastics classes, claiming she couldn't get out of shape for the upcoming cheer season.

"Oliver, you got a reason for showing that attitude?" Coach had caught Maddy's eye roll and was currently giving her a no-nonsense stare. Crap.

"No Coach." Maddy said hurriedly, as Mackenzie snickered, her bright green eyes glimmering with cold humor. As usual, she looked perfect in her tight bright blue crop top and black shorts.

"I would suggest keeping an open mind, Oliver. With all the classes you've missed, you need the practice more than anyone." Coach broke eye contact as Maddy blushed a fiery red, subconsciously rubbing her sore left shoulder. She mentally cursed Borderco Island and Hunter's Thunder Staff.

"As I was saying, you will have the choice of front or back." Coach scanned the small group of girls. Don't pick me, not me, not me. Maddy chanted mentally, willing Coach to pick someone other than her.

Oliver, why don't you start us off?" Shoot. Maddy stepped forward, biting her lip. As she readied her position, Coach cleared her throat.

"I want you to do it with back handsprings."

"But Coach I can't-" Maddy protested, feeling dread well up in her.

"No excuses. Go." Coach ordered. Maddy adjusted her stance, her legs shaking. Heart pounding, the purple ranger sprinted and threw herself forward, giving a wobbly round off. When she reached the part for the back handspring, Maddy flipped backwards, slamming her arms down to the mat and forcing herself up. Her shoulder silently screamed in protest as Maddy tried to finish the back handspring. After wobbling, she fell backwards and landed flat on her face. The entire gym was dead silent.

"Oliver." Coach's voice broke the deafening silence. "Get cleaned up and head home."

"But Coach, I-" Maddy began to protest, but the older lady held up a hand.

"You need to think long and hard if gymnastics is something you want to pursue seriously. You need to step it up or step down, because if you don't want your place in this class and on this team, there are many girls ready to step up. You're dismissed." Face burning, Maddy climbed to her feet and headed quickly towards the locker room. She didn't dare look back as Coach began giving her instructions to the rest of the group. As Maddy reached the locker room door, she heard Mackenzie being told to take the floor. Glancing over her shoulder, Maddy watched as Mackenzie executed each move perfectly and with ease, as if she was doing a simple cartwheel. When she hit the end, she shot Maddy a snide smirk, her green eyes glimmering with cold mirth. Maddy turned away, biting back tears as she heard Coach Carter congratulate Mackenzie for an excellent job. With a tug on the door, Maddy disappeared into the locker room.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

_"Life is a highway, I want it my way, all night long."_

Maddy pulled out her phone, flipping it open.

"Hey." Maddy said dully.

'Hey Mads, I was wonder if you wanted to go riding after you get done with gymnastics. I was thinking maybe going off road? Down by the beach, some other people wanted to meet us there." Dustin offered.

"What people?" Maddy asked suspiciously, toweling the sweat off her face.

"Just some guys." Dustin said. Maddy raised an eyebrow.

"Names?" She pressed, holding her phone in place with her shoulder as she stuffed gear into her bag.

"Well…" The earth ranger hesitated and Maddy sighed as put two and two together.

"It's Blake and Hunter, isn't it?" Maddy scowled as she thought of the two Thunder Rangers.

"Yeah, they wanted to meet up and talk."

"Last time they wanted to 'talk', we got our butts kicked!" Maddy protested as she forced the zipper shut on her purple bag.

"Yeah, but this time they haven't been kidnapped and brainwashed by Lothor. Do you want to come or not?" Dustin asked,

"Sure, I guess. If they go evil ninja again you'll need backup. I'll meet you in front of Storm Chargers in half an hour."

"Alright. Wait, aren't you supposed to be at-"Dustin began, but Maddy wasn't in the mood to be questioned why she wasn't at gymnastics.

"Bye Dustin." Maddy ended the call, and her friend's question. She could explain later. Stuffing her phone back into her bag, Maddy cast a longing glance back at the door leading to the gym before heading out.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Maddy and Dustin rode along the shore, kicking up sand behind them. They turned to drive through an incoming wave before swerving back up onto shore. Spying two familiar crimson and navy bikes, the purple and yellow rangers pulled up next to them. Maddy killed her bike's engine. Pulling her helmet off, her dark curls fell down in a mess around her shoulders. Dustin did the same, his own dark hair messy and rumpled.

"This is too weird." The yellow ranger muttered, looking up and down the beach for any signs of Blake and Hunter. Maddy wore a slight scowl.

"Not with their track record." The purple-clad teen ground out. Stepping off her bike, she walked a few paces, looking for footprints. Her hand hovered over her morpher, as if she was waiting for a surprise attack. When nothing came, she relaxed slightly.

"Are you seriously still mad at them?"

"I have a reason to be! Hunter almost killed me!" Maddy said angrily, crossing her arms as she began pacing. Her eyes were dark with anger.

"You can't stay mad forever. Especially since they may be joining our team." Dustin reasoned, watching his friend pace back and forth in the sand. When she said nothing, Dustin pulled his helmet back on.

"C'mon. We should head back to Ops and see what everyone else has to say about it." Maddy followed his lead, swinging her leg back over her bike and yanking her helmet back on. The two teens gunned their engines, and headed back down the beach.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Back at Ninja Ops, Maddy and Dustin explained what had happened.

"I know Hunter and Blake aren't exactly the most reliable guys...but leaving their bikes? No way!" Shane exclaimed.

"Probably a trap." Maddy questioned with a scowl, crossing her arms. "Wouldn't surprise me with their track record."

"Wow, Cindy Sunshine, try not to think so positively." Shane commented sarcastically, and Maddy glared at him. Dustin hurriedly continued the conversation to avoid a fight between the Red and Purple rangers.

"I don't think it was a trap. Since when would they leave their bikes?" Dustin pointed out.

"I don't know about you guys, but I smell a rodent." Tori stated. Maddy let a smirk replace the scowl on her face as Tori realized what she'd said. "Uh, no offense, Sensei." The blonde added hurriedly, and Maddy held back a snort of laughter.

"None taken, Tori." Sensei stated, not at all perturbed by what the water ninja had said. "I too suspect foul play."

"And it probably has something to do with this." Cam added, and the rangers crowded around him. Cam zoomed into the picture, and it showed Chuboo staring at his hands and muttering to himself. "I'm going to assume he's not there for the scenery." the computer whiz continued. Dustin shrugged. "I don't know dude, that place is pretty cool, especially this time of year." The yellow ranger commented. Maddy, Tori, Shane, and Cam all stared at Dustin. Dustin grinned sheepishly.

"Oh. Right." Dustin said. Shane, Tori, Dustin, and Maddy stepped back from the computer.

"Ready?" Shane asked the other rangers. They nodded.

"Ready!" They replied in perfect unison.

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form, HA!" The group shouted as they activated their morphers.

"Power of Lightning!" Maddy shouted as her training outfit changed into her brightly colored purple suit. As soon as they were all morphed, they headed out.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

A short while later, the four Rangers were seated on their Tsunami Cycles in the back of the truck, fully morphed. As the door opened to let them out, the Rangers gunned their engines.

"Let's ride!" Shane yelled over the sound of their engines as he drove out.

"Hit it!" Tori exclaimed, following Shane down the ramp and out of he truck.

"Ready to rumble!" Maddy declared as she revved her engine again before following Shane and Tori.

"Yeah!" Dustin agreed as he followed his teammates. The four sped alongside one another in the road, before popping a wheelie. Maddy tightened her grip on her bike as they went into super-speed.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

The rangers sped through the forest, en route to Chuboo's location. As they arrived, Chuboo looked up. Maddy slammed her bike to a halt, leaping off and landing in front of Chuboo gracefully. Her teammates mimicked her actions, landing in front of Chuboo.

"Where are our friends?"

"I wouldn't say friends..." Maddy muttered, and without even looking at her friends she knew they were all giving her 'looks'.

"Why don't you join them?" Chuboo suggested, oblivious to what the purple ranger had said. "There's room for four more."

"We'll pass, but thanks." Shane said sarcastically.

"Oh, boo-hoo. I'm hurt, but not surprised. How about some new playmates instead? KELZAKS!" The footsoldiers appeared immediately on Chuboo's command, fairly bursting with the urge to attacks.

"Ninja Sword!" The Wind Rangers shouted, summoning their individual swords. Maddy grinned under her helmet. She may not be as advanced in the academy form of fighting as Tori, Shane, and Dustin, but she was DEFINITELY the best at swordplay, thanks to her ongoing Samurai training.

"Kelzaks, ATTACK!" Chuboo ordered, and the footsoldiers charged. Each ranger was quickly engulfed in a battle. Maddy ducked under the blade of a Kelzak, before leaping over the blade of another. Swinging her sword up, she sliced both Kelzaks. Sparks flew up as they went down, and Maddy kept on repeating the action until she had easily dispatched all of the black and red footsoldiers. The lightning ninja barely got a moment to breathe before two dozen more took their place. "This sword just isn't cutting it." Maddy declared. "Lightning Sword!" Her summoned sword appeared, its gold and purple handle gleaming. Pulling it up into a defensive position, Maddy resumed fighting off the Kelzaks. Maddy scowled beneath her visor. They just kept coming! Maddy thought angrily, viciously slashing at the monsters.

"I got this one, guys!" Maddy heard Tori yell. Glancing up, she saw her blue-clad friend perched in a tree. Pulling out her Sonic Fin, Tori pointed it at the Kelzaks.

"Wave bye-bye now!" The blonde ordered, and the Kelzaks obeyed, before suddenly being sucked underground.

"Good job, Tor!" Dustin shouted, and Tori leapt down to join them.

"Why look at you." Chuboo snarled as he stared at them. The ninjas quickly assembled their cannon.

"Storm Striker!"

"How does this strike you?" Chuboo yelled, as something suddenly came smashing down from above. The Rangers barely dove out of the way in time.

"Whoa!" Shane exclaimed, climbing back to his feet. "Everybody ok?"

"I think so." Maddy confirmed, brushing the dirt and leaves off herself. Their comlinks suddenly beeped.

"Guys. I've locked onto Chuboo's genetic encoding bleahblehblah Thunder Rangers." Was all Maddy understood of Cam's 'tech-talk'. Shane looked up from his comlink back his friends.

"You guys get that?" Shane asked. He completely lost.

"Yeah right!" Dustin joked. He was happy about not being the only confused ranger for once. Maddy clicked her comm button to talk to Cam.

"Could you pretty please repeat that in less complicated terms?" Maddy asked. Her own mind was spinning with the several syllabled words Cam had tossed out. The tech genius sighed.

"To get the Thunder Rangers back, you have to slash the tubes on his backpack." Cam re-explained, sounding slightly annoyed.

"Wait, who says we WANT them back?" Maddy asked, half joking. But she wouldn't mind leaving them in the backpack for a while...

"Maddy." Shane said warningly. Maddy held up her hands in defense.

"Fine, fine, fine. Slash the tubes, yadayadayada get the Thunders." Maddy amended.

"Let's go!" Tori exclaimed, and the teens charged away Chuboo, who stared dumbly after them.

"Wait, where are you going?" The childlike alien called after them confusedly. The four teens suddenly switched tactics, charging quickly back at Chuboo.

"NINJA POWER!" The four shouted as they jumped into the air and sliced Chuboo's tubes to his backpack. He howled in anger as the Thunder Rangers shot out of his backpack, landing back where they had been captured. The Wind Rangers quickly followed them using their Ninja Streak. Shane clapped Blake on the shoulder as the two groups converged.

"Hey man, are you guys ok?" Shane asked as he fell into place beside the Navy and Crimson Rangers.

"We're fine." Hunter replied with a nod. He glanced over at the group of Wind Rangers, noting how Maddy was turned away slightly from them with her arms crossed, ignoring them. He was about to comment when Chuboo finally caught up to them.

"You Rangers and your teamwork really cheese me off!" Chuboo complained angrily. Shane looked back over at Blake and Hunter.

"You guys ready?" Shane asked, knowing the answer already.

"Oh yeah!" Blake said energetically, punching the air in excitement. Maddy cracked a slight grin at the Navy Ranger's action.

"Wind Rangers, HA!" The purple, red, blue and yellow rangers shouted together as they slid into fighting stances, arms out and ready to fight.

"Thunder Rangers, he-YAH!" Crimson and Navy shouted, placing their hands on their Thunder Staffs. Chuboo laughed.

"Oh, how SHOCKING!" Chuboo shouted as he shot amber colored lightning at the group of rangers. As the smoke dissipated, all that was left were six empty ranger suits where they had been standing. Chuboo groaned.

"Oh, I HATE it when they do that!" The green alien whined childishly, stomping his foot, before Dustin leapt forward and slammed Chuboo with his Lion Hammer. Chuboo cried out and staggered backwards, sparks flying. Tori and Hunter stepped forward next, shooting with their respective cannons. As the others moved, Maddy took their places, leaping high into the air with her Lightning Bow.

"You thought it was ok to copy my powers? You're in for a big SHOCK!" Maddy shouted as she pelted Chuboo with lightning arrows. He cried out again, falling backwards into Blake's trap. Blake used his Navy Antlers to grab Chuboo around the waist tightly.

"Not my love handles!" Chuboo howled as he was electrocuted. As Blake let him go, Chuboo staggered, on the verge of falling. Shane jumped in for the finish.

"Ninja Air Attack!" Shane shouted as he ran through the air with his sword drawn. He slashed Chuboo all over, almost before the green alien could comprehend it. Shane kicked off of Chuboo's stomach, somersaulting backwards through the air and landing in the middle of the Rangers. Maddy clapped.

"Style points are awarded to Shane!" Maddy declared with a grin, giving the red wind ranger a high five.

"Let's finish this!" Hunter declared. He was met with a chrous of 'yeah's!' and 'let's do it's!'.

"Storm Striker!" Shane shouted as the four wind rangers formed their cannon.

"Thunder Blaster!" Hunter shouted as he and Blake snapped their blasters together, forming their own big blaster.

"Wait!" Chuboo cried, putting his hands up. Shane groaned.

"What now?!" Shane exclaimed, shaking his head in annoyance as they lowered the gun slightly.

"I want a puppet show." He said slowly, confusing the rangers.

"What, are you crazy?!" Maddy exclaimed.

"He does work for Lothor..."Hunter observed, but Maddy ignored him. "Let's get this over with!" Maddy added, as she ignored Hunter's comment. Chuboo continued speaking.

"You be the puppets, and I'll be the puppeteer!" Chuboo declared as he shot silvery-blue strands of energy forward. They slammed into the widn rangers before disappearing. Chuboo yanked his hands back, and dragged Tori, Shane, Dustin, and Maddy towards him.

"Whoa, what's going on?!" Shane exclaimed as he found himself moving against his will. The Wind Rangers were dragged to Chuboo, and moved into their position with the Storm Striker pointing at Blake and Hunter. Maddy tried to yank her hands back from the weapon. Sure she hated them (Well, just Hunter, actually), but she didn't want to kill them!

"No, I WON'T DO IT!" Shane shouted as Chuboo forced his finger back on the trigger. Shane was trying to resist as much as he could, but his finger was inching forward slowly as Chuboo laughed.

"Chuboo's going down!" Hunter declared, as he aimed the Thunder Blaster. Blake glanced at his brother.

"Hunter be careful. If you hit the Rangers, you'll strip them of their powers!"

"We don't have any choice, bro!" Hunter said firmly as he aimed the Thunder Blaster again. Maddy closed her eyes, praying that Hunter wouldn't hit them by accident.

"Hunter, go for it! We can't hold him off much longer!" Shane yelled insistently. Tense seconds passed, as Maddy waited for the shot. She heard a dull thud instead and opened her eyes. The Thunder Blaster was laying on the ground. Hunter shook his head.

"I can't risk it." Maddy's eyebrows shot up. That was new, Hunter not wanted to risk them. Usually he tried to risk them. Chuboo laughed.

"Two powerless Thunder Rangers, coming up!" The alien declared happily.

"Guys, run!" Maddy shouted desperately as Shane's finger inched closer to the trigger. She grunted with the effort of trying to get her hands off the weapon.

"Guys, let go!" Shane said, trying to get his finger away from teh trigger.

"It's too strong!" Tori groaned.

"C'mon, we can do this." Maddy heard Shane mutter. He started to yank his hand off the trigger, and suceeded. Hunter dove for his Crimson Cannon as the other rangers were freed.

"Guys, DUCK!" Hunter shouted as he fired at Chuboo. Maddy hit the ground as the blast impacted the green alien. She watched, slightly awestruck as Blake took a flying leap off his brother's shoulders and kicked Chuboo firmly in the chest. The two teams quickly regrouped.

"Nice moves you guys!" Tori said excitedly, although Maddy had her suspicions she was more excited about talking to Blake than the maneuvers they had pulled off.

"Yeah, really smooth!" Dustin added. Maddy stayed silent, arms crossed.

"Good job, Hunter." Shane said, glancing at the Crimson-clad Thunder Ranger.

"No worries." Was Hunter's simple reply.

"Let's finish this!" Maddy declared as a smoking Chuboo rose back to his feet.

"For real this time!" Hunter added, as he hefted the Thunder Blaster up. The six rangers took their positions with their respective blasters.

"Fire!" Shane and HUnter shouted at the same second, clicking the triggers. Two brightly colored balls of energy combined and slammed into Chuboo, exploding on impact. Maddy's visor automatically adjusted to shield her eyes from the bright explosion. As the smoke cleared, Maddy was about to start cheering...until a figure appeared. Chuboo. He was laughing.

"Don't count me out yet." Chuboo wheezed. "I've still got one trick up my sleeve." The Ranger jumped back in surprise and shock at seeing Chuboo still in one piece.

"I've got this Scroll of Empowerment! Now you're really gonna get it!" Chuboo declared as he shook it at the Rangers. Chuboo jerked it open, and glowing letters in another language hovered above him, suddenly transforming him giant. Maddy groaned as everybody stared up at him.

"Just like a bug, he just won't die!" Maddy exclaimed. Everybody looked at her. "Uhh, no offense Thunders." Maddy added embarassedly as she realized how that sounded to the bug-themed thunder rangers.

"None taken." Blake assured her. Shane brought up his morpher and clicked the comlink button.

"Cam, it's Zord time!"

"They're on their way. Now if only I could figure out what that mystery piece does..."

"WHOA, back up the Zords. There's something Cam can't figure out?!" Maddy exclaimed. Her exclamation was met with laughter from Shane, Tori, and Dustin, and silence from Cam.

"Alright Cam, I know you're giving me a look even though I can't see you. I can sense it. And I will place my utmost confidence in the fact you'll figure it out. Eventually."

"Thanks for the lovely inspirational speech, Madison." Cam replied dryly. Maddy pouted at the use of her full name. "No problem, CAMERON." Maddy shot back with a smirk. Silence, then, "Touche." Cam conceded. The Zords suddenly appeared, and the Rangers jumped into their respective machines. Maddy grinned as she settled into the PantherZord. "Hello again, didja miss me Zordy?" Maddy asked as she placed her hands on the controls lovingly. She adored her zord.

"Storm Megazord!" The Wind Rangers shouted, forming into their Megazord.

"Thunder Megazord!" Blake and Hunter formed their megazord as well.

"Thinks are about to get sticky for you, Rangers!" Chuboo declared as he charged at the Thunder Megazord. The Thunder brought up an arm to block Chuboo's staff. Chuboo forced his way forward, knocking the THunder Megazord backwards as he slashed. Maddy winced as sparks flew. "That's gotta hurt." Maddy commented to noone in particular.

"Let's help them." Shane ordered, and the Storm Megazord charged forward. Dustin activated the lasers from his LionZord, effectively knocking Chuboo off balance. The two Megazords stepped back as Chuboo righted himself.

"Any ideas?" Shane asked.

"How about this?" Blake asked as he activated one of their own power coins, effectively gaining a buzzsaw-like weapon. As both Megazords advanced on Chuboo, Chuboo himself began spinning, whipping out his staff and sending both Megazords sprawling. Maddy groaned as they righted the Megazord.

"How about not doing that again?" Maddy suggested dryly. After trying several more attacks, it seemed like Chuboo was invincible.

"There's got to be something we can do!" Shane exclaimed, slamming his hand angrily against the control console of his Zord.

Suddenly, their comlinks kicked on again.

"Guys, that part I was telling you about? I figured out what it does!" Cam exclaimed excitedly.

"Another point for Cam!" Maddy declared, grinning.

"So what does it do?" Tori wondered.

"I'm sending it to you right now."

"Got it. Thanks, Cam."

"The only way you're going to beat Chuboo is if you combine your Megazords." Cam explained.

"Whoa, no way!" Dustin exclaimed excitedly. "I didn't know we could do that!" He added.

"How?" Tori asked curiously.

"It was apart of the programming the whole time." Cam explained. "I call it the MiniZord."

"The MiniZord?" Maddy and Hunter asked at the same time. Cam nodded. "Just trust me." Cam said with a grin. Maddy shrugged. Not like Cam had ever led them wrong before...

"It will be good to see the powers of Wind, Thunder and Lightning working together." Sensei said. Maddy was glad for her helmet so nobody saw her roll her eyes. Work together with Hunter. Yeah. When pigs fly. Although with what's she seen lately, wouldn't be surprising.

"You guys up for this?" Shane asked the Thunders.

"Let's do it!" Hunter exclaimed excitedly. Both Rangers locked and dropped their Power Coins.

"Power Coins, locked and dropped!" They both declared, and the fronts of the Megazords opened up, revealing a sphere from each. The Rangers watched in amazement as the spheres opened, and revealed different parts that combined into a minature zord. Ohhh, name makes sense now. The MiniZord hovered in mid-air.

"I am MiniZord!" The Zord declared. Maddy squealed. "It's soooo cute!" Maddy shrieked gleefully. The little zord continued. "Storm Megazord, Thunder Megazord, combine!" The zord ordered.

"Thunderstorm Megazord, He-YAH!" The Rangers shouted together. Both Megazords broke apart, going through a complicated morphing sequence that left Maddy's head spinning.

"Whoa..."Maddy gasped, as she took in the new megazord. Shane laughed.

"How do you like us now?" Shane taunted Chuboo, who was fuming at the turn of events.

"Well, the bigger you are, the harder you fall!" Chuboo shot back, and began slamming his staff against the Megazord. The new Thunderstorm Megazord didn't even budge. Maddy laughed as she stretched lazily in her compartment.

"I could get used to this!" Maddy said with a smirk. Suddenly she heard a snap, and jerked back to full attention, joking aside. Then she started laughing again as she realized what happened.

"Aww, poor baby's big stick broke!" Maddy snorted with laughter.

"Don't cry!" Tori laughed as she went along with Maddy.

"Your mommy will buy you a new one!" Dustin taunted, laughing with the girls.

"Hunter, ready to finish this?"

"Let's do it!" The Megazord suddenly began to roll forward on the treads from the Thunder Megazord. Chuboo snarled at them, trying to be the tough guy.

"Ohh, so that's how it's gonna be!" Chuboo growled as he shot lightning out of his forehead. The Megazord, once again didn't even tremble and Maddy face-palmed.

"Dude! Again with stealing my thunder!" Maddy exclaimed without thinking about her statement. "I mean lightning! I mean...powers?"

"I'm confused..." Dustin mused.

"I think everyone is..." Blake added. As Navy, Purple and Yellow turned their attention back to the fight, Chuboo was stumbling backwards from a punch from the Thunderstorm Megazord.

"That was a lucky shot!" Chuboo declared as he got back up.

"I bet this is too, huh?" Maddy asked sarcastically as she made her leg of the Megazord kick out and send Chuboo sprawling again. Unsurprisingly, he got back up.

"What now?" Shane wondered as he looked across the various weaponry options on his console. Minizord appeared on the small screen.

"Use the Lion Blaster." Minizord advised. "It will be your best defense." Shane shrugged.

"If you say so!" He clicked the button for the lion blaster as Chuboo charged a final time.

"Lion Blaster, activate!" The Lion Blaster pelted Chuboo with a hail of bullets, sending him stumbling backwards. He regained his balance enough to start staggering towards the Megazord. Maddy hurriedly worked the leg controls to move the Megazord back.

"You always have to win, don't you?" Chuboo wheezed, and Maddy felt a sliver of pity shoot through her. He was electrocuted once more by strands of lightning, howling in pain.

"Mommy!" Chuboo cried, before falling to the ground and exploding.

"Yeah!" The Rangers cheered and laughed as they realized they had finally defeated Chuboo.

"Attention Lady and Gentlemen, the current score has been updated: Lothor: still at zero, Rangers, eight, since the Thunder's one point has been changed to the Rangers point!" Maddy announced gleefully.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

Later that day, the Rangers, including Blake and Hunter, were gathered at Ninja Ops.

"I just can't believe you said no to Factory Blue. That's like, crazy!" Dustin exclaimed. Blake crossed his arms.

"We had something more important to do." Blake said, and the group looked at him blankly. Realization dawned on Maddy's face as Hunter cracked a smile.

"We're in." Hunter confirmed, and the group broke out in cheers, and high-fives were exchanged. Maddy used that distraction as a way to sneak out of Ninja Ops. She wasn't exactly thrilled to be on a team with a guy who tried to kill her, and wasn't going to pretend to be.

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

"Once again, Chuboo has proven himself unhelpful, sir. He had the lightning ranger in his grasp, yet failed to capture her and bring her here." Zurgane said angrily as he spoke to Lothor. Lothor laughed, a deep, evil sounding laugh. "Oh, I wouldn't say that. Thanks to Chuboo, the Rangers got a fancy new toy. I believe that having a fancy new toy has lured the Rangers into a false sense of security, and they will be easier to defeat. We will get that girl yet."

**xxxComesBeforeThunderxxx**

**And there you have it. I have Return of Thunder all wrapped up. Sorry about the overly long chapter, last time I checked it was hovering around 5,000 words. I'm not sure when I'll be able to post the next chapter, but I'll get it done as soon as I can. **

**As for the refrence, I'll give you a hint: It was from SPD, another of my favorites. Good Luck, and Happy 4th to all my American readers!**

**~Weathergirl17248**


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